The Buffalo Sabres hit the halfway mark of their 2016-17 season Thursday night in Tampa Bay. We reflect on the highs and lows of the campaign thus far.
When the Buffalo Sabres were gearing up for their 2016-17 campaign, the word “playoffs” was tossed around a lot, by the coaches, the players, and many hopeful fans.
Now that the halfway point of the Sabres’ season has come and gone, it’s safe to say that the word “playoffs” is not in the vocabulary of even the most optimistic fan. Sure, the players and coaching staff are still using that word in order to motivate themselves and convince fans there is still a reason to attend games at the KeyBank Center, and some really desperate fans might look at the standings and say, “Come on now, we’re only 7 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs who are 16th in the NHL right now!” – but come on. At what point this season have you seen the Buffalo Sabres do anything to convince you that a strong playoff push is coming? Buffalo has owned one thee-game winning streak this year, and that’s it.
Playoff push? Not. Gonna. Happen.
With that being said, let’s hand out our mid-season grades to pinpoint where things went wrong, and what this team needs to address if it ever wants to leave the rebuilding stage.
As always, share your comments on the Buffalo Sabres’ midseason grades below!