The Buffalo Sabres seemed destined to be penciled in for one of the worst teams in the league again, but management and coaching may have a different plan in store for the Buffalo Sabres. Or they could surprise the hell out of the Eastern Conference and let pride get in the way of the future. While the New York Rangers have nothing to worry about, the Buffalo Sabres shouldn’t be discounted this year.
This past off season, Tim Murray did a phenomenal job of shaking up the roster, and eliminating many of the core players that existed from the reign of Darcy Regier. No longer is the locker room a forlorn place where players can relish in the fact that, they have an NHL contract so their position is safe. While major moves weren’t made, there were enough moves to bring in new life to the organization that should help the beleaguered Sabres get over some of the hurtles that hampered them last season.
And then there is Ted Nolan. Ted Nolan doesn’t like to be told what he can’t do, and Ted Nolan likes to prove his critics wrong. He finds a way to get kids to win.
Puck Prose
If your hoping to be involved in the sweepstakes for one of the top two draft picks in this upcoming NHL entry draft, a look at the coaching history of Ted Nolan might have you saying there is still no hope for the team this season. In five NHL seasons, he has a 164-176 record. But he does have a first place finish (the 1996-1997 Buffalo Sabres finished first in the Northeast division), but he only has two playoff appearances, one with each team he coached.
Nolan does know how to get a bunch of counted out players to overachieve though, and that could make the team a shock to some of the opponents that might not give the Buffalo Sabres their due.
One of the biggest question marks on the team might be the goaltending tandem, which could help the Buffalo Sabres remain towards the bottom of the standings. Neither Jhonas Enroth or Michal Neuvirth has carried an NHL franchise as a starting goaltender, but are both eager to prove to all 30 teams in the NHL that they are ready to take on the role of the number one goalie.
A lack of scoring up front (which you wouldn’t tell by the six goals they put up on Washington) is going to help matters, with a young defense trying to find its way and going with journeymen goaltenders.
Pride might get in the way of taking completely to ensure the number one or two spot ahead of the draft lottery, and if history is a repeater, then landing somewhere in the 4-7 range in the first round with your pick is the way to go, unless you don’t get picked as the number one overall selection, at which point you could be looking at the fifth through the eighth overall pick.
Can the Buffalo Sabres balance their pride and the standings to end up in the top five picks and hope the New York Islanders pick or their own lands them with Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel? Only time will tell, and at this point, the only thing left to do is drop the puck and see where the chips fall.