The Buffalo Sabres finished December 2022 on a six game winning streak, and went 8-2-1 for the month. Will their winning ways continue in 2023?
The Buffalo Sabres earned themselves 17 points in December 2022, and it was their best month since March 2022. Although injuries struck this team once again, the Blue and Gold held firm and ended the month on a 28-12 run, for an average of 4.6 goals to 2 goals per game over that span.
So what will 2023 look like for the Sabres? Are they playoff bound? Here are three bold predictions for the new year.
1 – Five Buffalo Sabres will hit 80-plus points
Right now, the Sabres have five players who are on pace to hit the 80-point mark or higher:
- Tage Thompson
- Alex Tuch
- Jeff Skinner
- Rasmus Dahlin
- Dylan Cozens
Tage is still on pace to score well over 100, with 51 points in 34 outings. He also has 27 goals on the year, putting on on pace for 123 points, 65 goals, and 58 assists. If he hits those numbers, it will be one of the best seasons in team history.
2 – Sabres will be in serious contention for the wild card
As it stands, the Buffalo Sabres head into the new year with 38 points, and it puts them in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. They are just six points back in the wild card race, and with 48 games left in the regular season, they have a lot of time to make up those six points.
One reason they will be on the outside looking in toward the end of the season is that, as a young group, they are less likely to wear down as opposed to some of the older teams. They are also slowly gaining experience and are seeing improvements in goaltending and on defense. This is a remarkable combination that will get them close in the end.
3 – Rasmus Dahlin wins Norris Trophy
And the Norris Trophy goes to….Rasmus Dahlin. I talked about this a lot in previous articles, and my prediction that Dahlin will win the Norris has clearly not changed. He has 38 points this season, which makes him on pace for 93.
But what makes Dahlin such a remarkable player are his 62 blocks, 51 hits, and 23 takeaways. He has evolved into one of the NHL’s most physical players, and there are times when the fifth-year defenseman looks more like an enforcer as opposed to a two-way. Last season, Dahlin got better during the latter half. And I am expecting the same thing to happen this year.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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