Buffalo Sabres: 3 things that must happen for 2021 playoff run
What three things need to happen for the Buffalo Sabres in 2021 for them to finally claim their ticket into the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
For the last nine seasons, the Stanley Cup Playoffs have evaded the grasp of the Buffalo Sabres. There have been several reasons why this has happened including a lack of talent, poor goaltending, poor coaching, etc.
However, over the last two seasons, Buffalo has had a team that is arguably talented enough to make the playoffs, yet they have still not been able to get over the hump.
In 2018-19, Jeff Skinner put up an arguably MVP-caliber season, scoring 40 goals in his first season with Buffalo. However, despite a 10-game winning streak from Nov. 8 to Nov. 27 and Skinner’s efforts, the Sabres still managed to miss the playoffs.
Last season, Buffalo once again started the season red-hot — winning eight of their first 10 contests. However, the rest of the season saw them hold six losing streaks of at least three games — including two that lasted six games — and miss the playoffs once again despite a heroic effort from captain Jack Eichel who scored 78 points in 68 games.
So what do the Sabres have to do to right the ship and finally make the Stanley Cup Playoffs again?
3. The Buffalo Sabres need consistent scoring depth to make the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Sabres finished in the bottom half of the NHL in goals for last season — 21st out of 31 to be exact. This is because of the team’s lack of scoring depth.
Buffalo’s top scorer was Eichel with 78 points and 36 goals in just 68 games. Over a full season, this would’ve been good for 93 points and 43 goals.
After Eichel, the Sabres only had one player with at least 50 points and two players with at least 20 goals. One of these players was forward Sam Reinhart with 50 points and 22 goals in 69 games, and the other was rookie right wing Victor Olofsson with 20 goals in 54 games.
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Over a full season, Reinhart would’ve been good for 26 goals and 59 points, and Olofsson for 24 goals and 50 points.
The biggest issue here is that Jeff Skinner wasn’t one of the team’s top scorers. After scoring 40 goals in 2018-19 and receiving a huge eight-year, $72 million extension in June of 2019, he greatly regressed and disappointed.
Skinner managed to score just 14 goals and 23 points in 59 games this past season — good for just 17 goals and 28 points over a full season.
If the Sabres want to make the playoffs in 2021, they’re going to need more from every one of their forwards — especially highly paid players such as Skinner, Kyle Okposo, and now Taylor Hall.
2. The Buffalo Sabres need solid goaltending from both goalies to make the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
There’s no question that Buffalo has struggled to find excellent starting goaltending since Ryan Miller. Robin Lehner was pretty good his first two seasons with the team, but ultimately was not the answer as he floundered his third season with the team.
To replace Lehner, the Sabres signed Carter Hutton, who at the time was 32 years old and a career back up through his so far six years in the NHL.
Before signing with Buffalo, Hutton had a career save percentage (SV%) of .911, goals-against average (GAA) of 2.52, and quality start percentage (QS%) of .419 over 138 games played and 114 starts.
Since signing with the Sabres, Hutton has mostly struggled with a .903 SV%, 3.09 GAA, and .494 QS% over 81 games and 78 starts in two seasons.
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While Hutton has struggled, his counterpart Linus Ullmark has been significantly better with a .910 SV%, 2.90 GAA, and .544 QS% in 71 games and 68 starts over the last two seasons.
Last season, Ullmark solidified himself as the Sabres’ starter as he finished the shortened season with 34 games played (starting all of them), .915 SV%, 2.69 GAA, and .559 QS%.
Hutton, on the other hand, struggled mightily playing 31 games (starting 30 of them) and finishing with a .898 SV%, 3.18 GAA, and .467 QS%.
If Buffalo wants to make the playoffs this season, they will need Ullmark to replicate his success from last season, while also getting Hutton to greatly improve. This means Hutton will probably need a SV% of at least .910 and a GAA no higher than 2.70.
1. The Buffalo Sabres will need to incorporate a good defensive structure to make the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The biggest problem with the Sabres is their defensive play. They haven’t finished in the top half of the NHL in goals against since the 2010-11 season. Many may say this is because of goaltending, but Ryan Miller was on the team until the 2013-14 season.
Some may also say this is because the team has lacked talent when it comes to their defensemen.
However, I’m here to say this issue runs much deeper than goaltender and defenseman talent. This is a coaching and structure issue. This is a discipline and accountability issue. The Buffalo Sabres need some type of structure and system implemented.
While this style of hockey may be considered “boring”, it has been proven to win games. With the talent Buffalo has upfront, in net, and at the blueline, a defensive structure that stresses the importance of playing for the team and as a team will benefit the Sabres enormously.
This type of structure should fix many of the Sabres issues. Playing better defense should help out both Ullmark and Hutton. This will also allow Buffalo to gain control of the puck quicker, leading to more offensive opportunities.
So, instead of allowing pucks into their own net, the Sabres will have control of the puck and be giving more opportunities to their big guns of Eichel, Olofsson, Reinhart, Skinner, and now Hall.
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If the Sabres can successfully implement a sound defensive structure, get solid goaltending from both Ullmark and Hutton, and get consistent scoring from more than just three forwards, there’s no doubt in my mind they can make the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.