Positives
The negatives are out of the way, so let’s talk about the positives. Buffalo was MUCH BETTER than people expected them to be.
Especially after losing core players such as Sam Reinhart, Jack Eichel and Linus Ullmark. Everyone thought it was going to be another terrible season for the Sabres and they would be a bottom 5 team once again.
To their credit, they were so much fun to watch. Even in the games they lost, they were for the most part competitive which is something Sabres fans haven’t seen from them in a long time. Fans are so optimistic going into the offseason and haven’t felt this good about the team since 2011.
Another positive is the core they have in place is perfect for what they are trying to build. Head coach Don Granato has won over the respect of his players and the system he has is great for the team. Going back to the core, players like Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Dahlin, Owen Power, Jeff Skinner and Peyton Krebs are just a few names of the core pieces this team has in place.
To wrap up the positives, the leadership this team has is refreshing. Guys like Kyle Okposo, Zemgus Girgensons and Alex Tuch have changed the culture of the locker room and it seems like everyone who’s on the roster wants to be in Buffalo.