Buffalo Sabres Daily: Wish List, Analysis
We all know that last season wasn’t the best for the Buffalo Sabres. The last-place finish, a measly 52 points on the season — it wasn’t fun, and definitely not something the Sabres will look to repeat.
Instead, in the midst of a rebuild, Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray brought in several veterans over the summer, including Cody McCormick and Matt Moulson, who both return to Buffalo after short stints elsewhere. Murray drafted young guys like Sam Reinhart and Brendan Lemieux and is helping to develop the prospects core in juniors, college and the AHL to build the future of the Buffalo Sabres.
But what else could the Buffalo Sabres use for this upcoming season? Here’s one “wish list” as envisioned by one of the writers from NHL.com.
The wish list is fairly predictable, but pretty accurate.
Number one is increased scoring — well, yeah. Offense was a struggle last season and the Buffalo Sabres absolutely need to score more in order to have a chance at winning and not finishing in last place. The most obvious statement ever is that if you don’t score, you can’t win games, and both of those are areas where the Sabres need work.
Second on the list is shots against, and third is key in goaltending. This year will be huge for Jhonas Enroth, his first season in Buffalo without Ryan Miller. Enroth and Michal Neuvirth will need to step up big time in net. This, combined with more goals on the Sabres’ side of things and allowing less shots against (help the poor goalies out, would you?) should make for a winning – or at least less-losing – recipe for the Buffalo Sabres this coming season.
From SB Nation this morning come a guide on “How to Hate the Atlantic,” Buffalo Sabres edition.
I don’t know about anyone else, but my first thought when reading that was: whoa, I forgot the Sabres are in the Atlantic now. I guess I’m still getting used to the move from the Northeast Division that I’ve been so used to the past how many years…
Anyways, the article is part of a series from the folks at Winging It In Motown, and this one details, well, how to hate the Buffalo Sabres.
The fact is, as that piece states, we’re in the middle of a rebuild and the Sabres may still not be good for a few more years. But watch out, because in time, we’re coming for you.
I think my favorite part of that article is this quote:
“Buffalo fans are busy remembering every mean thing we say about their team being an awful embarrassment to the sport of hockey and will still be around when the Sabres get good again.”
How true is that? Buffalo fans stick around through thick and thin, and that’s one of the things I love most about living in this city. We know our team sucks, but we still watch the games. We know when they’re great and support them then, too. We get excited about ending a five-game losing streak, and we get excited about winning three games in a row. Buffalo fans are relentless in their support and even though that may have been intended as a jab at Sabres fans, I’ll take it as a compliment for this city and its fanbase.