3 reasons the Buffalo Sabres are heading in the right direction

The Buffalo Sabres may be 9-12-1 with a measly 19 points this season. But that doesn’t mean the team is not trending north. They are. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: W’s and L’s are not the primary factor this season. Sure, losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Tampa Bay Lightning hurts if you’re a Buffalo Sabres fan, but the 2022-23 season is mainly a building year. And that’s exactly what the Sabres are doing.

And yep, they embarked on an eight-game losing streak at one point in the season, suffered a couple of blowouts, and looked totally inept for some contests there. But they have also blown out some teams, won some thrillers, and found twine more often than many of us thought they would.

And that alone is progress. But so are the following factors, and each should give Sabres fans hope that this team is trending north.

1 – The Tage Thompson Line’s Output

The Tage Thompson line isn’t just one of the best on the team: It has transformed into one of the most formidable in the NHL. Tage, Jeff Skinner, and Alex Tuch have scored a combined 34 goals, 38 assists, and 72 points.

Over 23 games, Tage is looking as though he will crack the 100-point barrier while Skinner and Tuch are on pace for 82 points apiece. And best yet, this trio will be together for a while, considering the current state of their contracts.

2 – Rise of the Cozens Line

The Cozens line is not as effective as the Thompson line, but when you have three 21-year-olds lining up alongside one another, two of whom are rookies, you’re going to experience growing pains. Fortunately, this line has exceeded expectations, considering Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka have a combined 43 games of NHL experience.

So far, Cozens leads the trio with 16 points, six goals, and 10 assists, putting him on pace to score 60 this season. Quinn and Peterka are on pace to snag between 40 and 50, which is an excellent starting point for the rookies who forged a dynamic duo last season when they were playing in Rochester.

3 – Opposing coaches are taking notice of the Buffalo Sabres

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was the latest to notice the Buffalo Sabres improvement. Here is what Cooper had to say following his team’s win over the Blue and Gold:

"“The team, in my opinion, it’s younger, it’s deeper and it’s dynamic throughout the lineup. Listen, we all make mistakes. Buffalo is going to make mistakes, Tampa’s making mistakes. There’s no perfect team out there. But this team, you used to have to be able to really just maybe check one line, and you’re OK. But now, it’s not like that.” – via Buffalo News."

Such a ringing endorsement shows just how far the Sabres have come in a span of months. And speaking of checking lines, we also need to give credit to that fourth line comprising Tyson Jost, Zemgus Girgensons, and Kyle Okposo.

If the Sabres can ever figure out their third line, this team is going to be tough to contend with. Right now, head coach Don Granato will keep shuffling the deck. But when he finds his magic numbers, look out. They will be heading to the North Pole.

Article Source: Mike Harrington: Hard lessons continue for Sabres in frustrating thriller vs. Lightning by Mike Harrington

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