Pretty positive overall and worth the read in July.
## Path to the Playoffs
It won’t be easy for this young Sabres team to make the leap into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023-24, however, it should be the expectation for this team.
The Sabres are loaded with young talent that has already showcased what they’re capable of doing at the highest level of hockey. With an abundance of youth, this team has plenty of time to develop, however, the patience of the Buffalo faithful is running thin due to the extended playoff drought.
In a highly competitive Atlantic Division, the Sabres have to deal with proven powerhouse teams, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers. Meanwhile, teams like the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Montreal Canadiens are in a similar spot as Buffalo, trying to break through and get into the playoffs.
The Sabres appear ready to compete with some of the top teams in the league this season, as they earned winning records head-to-head against multiple playoff teams, including the Lightning, Rangers, and Islanders in 2022-23. They also managed to split their season series against some of the best in the West, including the Avalanche, Golden Knights, Kings and Oilers.
They’ve shown what they’re capable of doing in small bursts, now it’s time for the Sabres to remain consistent throughout the entirety of a season. If this young squad can consistently play at a high level and stay relatively healthy, 2023-24 could be the season the Sabres end their playoff drought.
JoeSchmohawk93
No different than anyone else, but health is already going to be a huge hurdle to overcome next season. Quinn missing significant time already hurts us, and as much as I like VO, he is absolutely not the solution to having more of a two-way presence next season. If Samuelsson can stay healthy that’s a huge bonus and we obviously have a bunch of young guys that are expected to take another step. So far I’ve been a fan of KA tweaking, instead of re-inventing the roster, particular his decision not to shake the tree in net and focus more on defense depth additions. That said, I am worried we may be putting a little to much faith in guys like Clifton/EJ already. Neither will be game changers and if one of Power/Dahls/Sammy go down, all signs point to us being screwed and you’ve got to wonder what it does to Levi’s development path.
I’ve definitely flip flopped in it, because I like Olofsson, but if we’re serious about playoffs I just can justify plugging him in the top-6 to start the season. He’s a solid 3rd line PP specialist period. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where the Calgary Backlund/Lindholm rumors are coming from.
2 Comments
Pretty positive overall and worth the read in July.
## Path to the Playoffs
It won’t be easy for this young Sabres team to make the leap into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023-24, however, it should be the expectation for this team.
The Sabres are loaded with young talent that has already showcased what they’re capable of doing at the highest level of hockey. With an abundance of youth, this team has plenty of time to develop, however, the patience of the Buffalo faithful is running thin due to the extended playoff drought.
In a highly competitive Atlantic Division, the Sabres have to deal with proven powerhouse teams, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers. Meanwhile, teams like the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Montreal Canadiens are in a similar spot as Buffalo, trying to break through and get into the playoffs.
The Sabres appear ready to compete with some of the top teams in the league this season, as they earned winning records head-to-head against multiple playoff teams, including the Lightning, Rangers, and Islanders in 2022-23. They also managed to split their season series against some of the best in the West, including the Avalanche, Golden Knights, Kings and Oilers.
They’ve shown what they’re capable of doing in small bursts, now it’s time for the Sabres to remain consistent throughout the entirety of a season. If this young squad can consistently play at a high level and stay relatively healthy, 2023-24 could be the season the Sabres end their playoff drought.
No different than anyone else, but health is already going to be a huge hurdle to overcome next season. Quinn missing significant time already hurts us, and as much as I like VO, he is absolutely not the solution to having more of a two-way presence next season. If Samuelsson can stay healthy that’s a huge bonus and we obviously have a bunch of young guys that are expected to take another step. So far I’ve been a fan of KA tweaking, instead of re-inventing the roster, particular his decision not to shake the tree in net and focus more on defense depth additions. That said, I am worried we may be putting a little to much faith in guys like Clifton/EJ already. Neither will be game changers and if one of Power/Dahls/Sammy go down, all signs point to us being screwed and you’ve got to wonder what it does to Levi’s development path.
I’ve definitely flip flopped in it, because I like Olofsson, but if we’re serious about playoffs I just can justify plugging him in the top-6 to start the season. He’s a solid 3rd line PP specialist period. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where the Calgary Backlund/Lindholm rumors are coming from.