The Buffalo Sabres are in the final half-month of their season and since they are missing the playoffs, let’s talk a little about the offseason
For the Buffalo Sabres faithful, it’s once again time to start talking free agency, the NHL Draft, and answering a few burning questions heading into what will be a franchise-altering offseason. And an offseason with far more momentum in 2022 than 2021 brought us.
At least until the Sabres called Owen Power’s name during the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. But in March, April, and May 2021, this team was one of the NHL’s biggest disasters, logging a 9-24-4 record.
Fast-forward to 2022, and the Sabres are currently 11-8-3 as their season nears its conclusion. quite a stark differential from last year’s debacle. But since they set an NHL record in futility this season, there is still far more room for improvement and there are a lot of unanswered questions heading into the offseason.
However, the Sabres are more stable this season than they have been in recent memory. They have an excellent young core of players at both the NHL and AHL level. That alone gives fans a reason to believe this team is about to accelerate on a straightaway heading into October 2022.
But general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Don Granato also realize the Sabres are far from a finished product and a lot of instability remains for the franchise. The Sabres may have a dire situation at goaltender and they need at least one more marquee draft pick to really set the franchise in the right direction.
Fans also want to know what this team plans on doing for draft day, and how they plan on filling their lower lines. Of all the questions that has left the franchise shrouded in perpetual mystery, here are the top three burning questions the Sabres must answer heading into the offseason.