Top 3 ways Buffalo Sabres can win Atlantic Division in 2022-23

While it is a definite longshot, anything is possible in professional sports. Including the Buffalo Sabres pulling off the inevitable. 

You could probably make a laundry list of things that have a more realistic chance of occurring than the Buffalo Sabres actually taking home the Atlantic Division crown in 2022-23. But then again, who would have seen Appalachian State upsetting the #6-ranked Texas A&M Aggies last week or the Cincinnati Bengals going to the Super Bowl last year in the NFL?

This is professional sports, where literally anything can happen. So while the Sabres logistically may fight for a wild card spot at most in 2022-23, there is always an outside chance of them shocking the NHL universe. And they kind of got there last season given their remarkable run in March and April.

So let’s have some fun and list three reasons why the Sabres, yes, the Sabres, can steal the Atlantic from right under the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning’s noses.

Reason #1 – The Buffalo Sabres have bought into Don Granato

The Don Granato Effect was on full display last season and his knack for bringing out the best in his players will continue in 2022-23. Granato redeemed the likes of Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo while removing the potential bust label from Rasmus Dahlin.

Low-tier players like Tage Thompson enjoyed a career season and he now finds himself leading the first line. Players who received few chances like Peyton Krebs have become key staples, and gadget players like Rasmus Asplund have become among the league’s best in their respective niches.

Granato, despite some rough, tough times, changed this team’s mentality. And for that reason, they can make a greater jump than many experts believe.

Reason #2 – The Sabres can beat the NHL’s most talented teams

No, they could not beat Florida, Boston, or Tampa in 2021-22. But now that they are one year older and one year more experienced, don’t be surprised if they steal a couple of games this year. It was something that made them one of the league’s more notorious teams in March and April 2022.

In those final two months of the season, they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs three times, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights (and Jack Eichel), Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators, and Carolina Hurricanes. They also took the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, and Winnipeg Jets into overtime.

Not only did they beat the NHL’s best; the Sabres also beat non-playoff teams often. In March and April 2022, they finished 8-0-1 against non-playoff teams. Let’s face it: A healthy Buffalo Sabres team is a dangerous one. 

Reason #3 – Changing Identity

For most of last season, the Sabres lacked aggression in almost every facet of the game. They couldn’t hit, they barely logged takeaways, they committed too many giveaways, teams outshot them almost nightly, and their defensive rotation allowed opposing forwards to get behind them far too often.

That will change in 2022-23. For one, the Sabres have two full-time defensemen in the lineup who will hit and hit often with Ilya Lyubushkin and Mattias Samuelsson. Rasmus Dahlin also got more aggressive and started to leave his mark as a hitter.

Owen Power has the speed to prevent breakaways while also contributing, along with Dahlin, to the goal-scoring department. Youngsters like Peyton Krebs and Dylan Cozens will also get more aggressive in taking shots this season. Especially Cozens, who is looking to erase memories of his two-goal performance post-All-Star break.

This season, the Sabres will be faster and more aggressive in the defensive rotation, and they will also get far more aggressive in both puck possession and landing shots on goal. While they realistically won’t win the Atlantic and finish no higher than fourth, which could land them a wild card, there are reasons they can pull off a shocker and take the division. It probably won’t happen, but let’s not count them out just yet.