Atlantic Division Power Ranking: Buffalo Sabres fall in Week 14

The Buffalo Sabres lost four of their last five games and as a result, have fallen in the latest power rankings. How far did they fall?

The Buffalo Sabres attack has crashed and burned over the past week, so don’t be surprised if you see further changes to the game planning. Teams have keyed on Tage Thompson, so the first order of business would involve looking for a way to free him up again.

But until the Sabres return to their high-scoring ways, their spot in the power rankings will likely drop. While better, the Sabres aren’t quite there defensively to bail out lackluster offensive play. So where did they rank this week? Keep reading for more.

8 – Montreal Canadiens/18-23-3 (39 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 8

The Canadiens have gone back and fourth over the last week and a half, including big wins over the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers. Could they be turning a corner?

7 – Detroit Red Wings/18-17-7 (43 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 7

The Red Wings had two impressive wins over the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs. Then they turned around and dropped their previous two games. It was a better week, but not quite enough to move up.

6 – Ottawa Senators/19-21-3 (41 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 5

The Senators have been outscored 9-1 in their last two contests, including an embarrassing 7-0 performance against the Colorado Avalanche. The Arizona Coyotes also recently shut them out.

5 – Buffalo Sabres/21-19-2 (44 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 3

After I exercised some faith in the Buffalo Sabres, they ended up on the wrong end of a shutout. They since dropped three of their last four, but an impressive win over Nashville kept them from a complete freefall.

4 – Florida Panthers/21-20-4 (46 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 6

The Panthers have won their previous two games, and three of their last four. If they beat Toronto this week, we may be witnessing the first stages of Florida positioning itself for a remarkable second half.

3 – Toronto Maple Leafs/26-11-7 (59 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 2

Still one of the league’s best, the Maple Leafs stagnated this past week, dropping their previous two contests. The Leafs looked like a different team in their 4-1 loss to the Red Wings three games after they defeated Detroit by that same score.

2 – Tampa Bay Lightning/26-13-1 (53 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 4

The Bolts are surging, having won four straight outings. Their most recent win, a 4-1 triumph over the Seattle Kraken, was arguably the most impressive.

1 – Boston Bruins/34-5-4 (72 points)

Last Week’s Ranking: 1

The Bruins have been so good this season that they’ve accumulated more points in just 43 games than some teams in this league will in 82. Think about and let that sink in for a minute.

Overall, the Buffalo Sabres need to find a way to get back on track after what has been a rough start to the 2023 calendar year. Tonight, they face the Chicago Blackhawks, an opponent they have a recent history of defeating in some of the most unusual and thrilling ways. So maybe tonight, we’ll see the high-octane Sabres of October and December come back out of the woodwork.

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