Buffalo Sabres Struggle With NHL Coach’s Challenge

The Buffalo Sabres haven’t had much luck yet this season with the new NHL coach’s challenge.

Through 20-some odd games, the Sabres have been involved in five coach’s challenges — with the other team coming out the benefactor each and every time.

Let’s summarize those challenges briefly before we continue:

*All figures are accurate through Monday, November 23rd games.*

November 23 – vs. St. Louis Blues – Sabres Request

The Buffalo Sabres requested a coach’s challenge to determine if St. Louis was offsides prior to

‘s goal. It was determined that they were not offsides; the goal stood, and the Sabres forfeited their timeout.

November 17 – vs. Dallas Stars – Stars Request

The Dallas Stars requested a coach’s challenge to determine if Buffalo was offside prior to their goal. This was found to be true, so the Sabres’ goal was overturned.

November 12 – vs. Florida Panthers – Sabres Request

The Sabres requested a coach’s challenge to determine if

interfered with

before the goal. Original call – and good goal – stood, and Buffalo forfeited their time-out.

November 12 – vs. Florida Panthers – Panthers Request

The Panthers requested a coach’s challenge to determine if Buffalo was offsides prior to

‘ goal. The original call (a good goal by the Sabres) was overturned.

October 8 – vs. Ottawa Senators – Senators Request

The Senators requested a coach’s challenge to determine if Buffalo was offsides prior to

‘s goal. The goal was overturned.

More from Sabre Noise

• 3 biggest standouts at Buffalo Sabres 2023 Prospects Challenge
• 3 takeaways from the Buffalo Sabres final Prospects Challenge game
• Buffalo Sabres experiment with lesser-known talent in loss to Pens
• Buffalo Sabres 75 Bold Predictions for 2023-24: Prediction 51
• Buffalo Sabres vs. Pittsburgh: A quick look at the Penguins prospects

To summarize things up quickly, that’s five coach’s challenges the Buffalo Sabres have been involved in, including two at their request, and five of which haven’t gone their way. The Sabres have seen three goals called back this season due to the team being offsides (and the ensuing challenge/review).

How does this compare to other teams throughout the NHL, you ask?

Let’s look at the San Jose Sharks in comparison. The Sharks have been involved in ten coach’s challenges, including five that they requested. Of the five they’ve requested, they’ve won just one – their first. Of the other five, they’ve benefitted from four.

Or let’s glance at the Washington Capitals, who have been involved in six coach’s challenges, only two of which they’ve called. The Sharks won one of the challenges they called – again, their first – and lost the other.

"For a refresher on what the coach’s challenge rules are, here’s the text, straight from the NHL rulebook:1. A team may only request a Coach’s Challenge to review the following scenarios:a) “Off-Side” Play Leading to a Goal. A play that results in a “GOAL” call on the ice where the defending team asserts that the play should have been stopped by reason of an “Off-Side” infraction by the attacking team.b) Scoring Plays Involving Potential “Interference on the Goalkeeper”(i) A play that results in a “GOAL” call on the ice where the defending team asserts that the goal should have been disallowed due to “Interference on the Goalkeeper,” as described in Rules 69.1, 69.3 and 69.4; or(ii) A play that results in a “NO GOAL” call on the ice despite the puck having entered the net, where the on-ice Officials have determined that the attacking team was guilty of “Interference on the Goalkeeper” but where the attacking team asserts: (i) there was no actual contact of any kind initiated by an attacking Player with the goalkeeper; or (ii) the attacking Player was pushed, shoved, or fouled by a defending Player causing the attacking Player to come into contact with the goalkeeper; or (iii) the attacking Player’s positioning within the goal crease did not impair the goalkeeper’s ability to defend his goal and, in fact, had no discernible impact on the play.2. A team may only request a Coach’s Challenge if they have their time-out available and the Coach’s Challenge must be effectively initiated prior to the resumption of play.3. If the Coach’s Challenge does not result in the original call on the ice being overturned, the team exercising such challenge will forfeit its time-out.4. If the Coach’s Challenge does result in the call on the ice being overturned, the team successfully exercising such challenge will retain its time-out."

Overall, through November 22, the NHL has seen 51 coach’s challenges in the first (roughly) quarter of the season.

Thirty-six of those have been based on goaltender interference, with the other 15 based on offsides.

Of the 36 challenges based on goaltender inference, eight have resulted in goals being overturned.

Only three teams in the NHL have yet to be involved in a coach’s challenge this season: the Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.

And only once this season have we seen a “coach’s challenge” that was initiated not by either team on the ice, but by the NHL’s Situation Room. That unique situation occurred during a game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs, where the Situation Room initiated a review under the terms of a coach’s challenge to determine if the Canucks were offsides prior to a goal. It was determined that they were, and the Vancouver goal was overturned.

Next: Coaching Challenge Round Table

Check back later for an updated editorial on the NHL coach’s challenge and one Sabre Noise writer’s thoughts on the pros and cons of this new NHL rule.