The Buffalo Sabres are further along than everyone thought
By Sion Fawkes
The 2021-22 Buffalo Sabres season ended with a lot of hope, despite them accumulating only 75 points. But did any of us see this coming?
Before the season began, we at Sabre Noise predicted the outcome of every game the Buffalo Sabres would play in this season. I got 97 points, and as it stands, the Blue and Gold are on pace for 92 points.
Despite my 97-point prediction, I also stated during interactions with fans it was more realistic the Sabres would end up somewhere between 85 and 90 points. But here they are, looking to slightly overachieve that ultimate assumption they wouldn’t get anymore than 90.
And to be frank, Buffalo could reach that loftier 97-point threshold, as it certainly isn’t out of reach. It also wouldn’t surprise anyone in the Queen City if the team snuck into the playoffs as a wild card. Lofty? Most certainly. Improbable? Not so much.
Buffalo Sabres played like they were ahead of the curve in first 50 games
Mike Harrington of Buffalo News went on record to say, “(Kevyn) Adams could not have reasonably expected this in September.” Most of us didn’t, believing 2022-23 to be a building year, one where, with a roster that eventually comprised four rookies when Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen received the recall, would struggle through growing pains.
And the team hasn’t been immune to such pains, given their eight-game losing streak in the first half of November and their spotty play in the first half of January. Buffalo’s defense has also been horrible at times, and the injury bug hit this team on two separate occasions.
Through this, they became one of the NHL’s highest-scoring teams that showed a knack for winning games on the road, especially against Western Conference teams. The Sabres saw players like Tage Thompson emerge as a legitimate Hart Trophy candidate, Rasmus Dahlin for the Norris, and Owen Power, the Calder.
They also have four players on the roster in Tage, Dahlin, Jeff Skinner, and Alex Tuch on pace to score at least 80 points. Others, like Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt, have scored career highs in points while those aforementioned names above have also either tied, reached their own career highs, or are on pace to shatter them.
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Overall, we don’t know if the Buffalo Sabres will make the playoffs. But if this season taught us anything, it’s that this team is ahead of schedule and, with a few more tweaks, will be a legitimate playoff contender in 2023-24.
(Statistics and data provided by Hockey-Reference)
Article Source: Mike Harrington: Sabres are in playoff race ahead of schedule, and Kevyn Adams is walking interesting line by Mike Harrington
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