The Buffalo Sabres have a long way to go before they even begin to resemble those great teams of the 1970s when the French Connection ruled the ice.
But let’s get bold. Real bold. And let’s party like it’s 1975. It was a year where the French Connection helped lead the Buffalo Sabres to their first Stanley Cup Final. Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert, and Rick Martin led the team in points, and now, it looks like we have a new French Connection brewing in Buffalo.
No, the Sabres aren’t going to the playoffs this season. They’re once again floundering after putting together a 2-0-1 record following the All-Star break. The Ottawa Senators made them look like fodder and the Colorado Avalanche did what they do best: score an avalanche of goals. But that doesn’t mean a new French Connection isn’t brewing between Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, and Jeff Skinner.
Have the Buffalo Sabres Found Their Next French Connection?
This is a bad hockey team. Period. At least as far as the 2021-22 season goes. But this is also a team that has a lot of young talent that has already shown flashes of what the future holds. And no one has shown those flashes more than Tuch, Thompson, and Skinner.
Want to have some fun? Check out the following recent statistics:
- In the past five games, the trio combined for 22 points.
- Of those 22 points, nine were goals.
And on Saturday, each of Thompson‘s goals further highlighted the connection this trio are continuing to build. On the first goal of the game at the 2:50 mark, Tuch won a battle for the puck along the boards and tipped it to Skinner, who immediately passed to Thompson, and the towering center did the rest, scoring on a one-timer.
Tommer with the quick release 👌#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/esCk3aAj3l
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 19, 2022
Skinner logged another assist when he diced through the neutral zone before passing to Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin immediately gave the puck back to Skinner, who took it behind the net before he found Thompson wide open.
🚨 Tage Thompson's second of the game 🚨#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/z8tO8SvqJy
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 19, 2022
The trio of Tuch, Thompson, and Skinner have built their connection in such a short time because of their impeccable on-ice awareness. Each either knows where the other is on the ice, or where they’re going to be. When a situation arises where they need to get open to make a play happen, they do.
Sure, there are immense growing pains going on for the Sabres right now. But their top trio is slowly but steadily bringing back some French Connection nostalgia.
(All statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)