Top 3 reasons to be excited about the Buffalo Sabres future

The Buffalo Sabres need a lot to happen to sneak into a playoff spot this season. But they could have already set the stage for next year. 

No, the Buffalo Sabres playoff hopes aren’t over yet, but they diminished following their loss to the Florida Panthers. While disappointing, this season has given fans a glimpse into what lies ahead for the Blue and Gold, and that is a bright future brimming with potential.

So why should you be excited about what this team will have in store for us in 2023-24 and beyond? Here are three reasons.

The Buffalo Sabres best days are ahead, and they aren’t far off

1 – The core group of players

Over the past eight months, we’ve seen general manager Kevyn Adams sign Tage Thompson, Mattias Samuelsson, and Dylan Cozens to long-term extensions. And when they become eligible, expect the same for Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and perhaps even others.

This core comprises mainly young players, outside 30-year-old Jeff Skinner, and if Adams continues to ink long-term deals, the core will be together for a while in the Queen City. They will be fun to watch if this season foreshadowed anything.

2 – A potential franchise goaltender

We’re all excited about Devon Levi, but I’m going to be more realistic with this one. He gives us a reason to believe we’ve found a franchise goaltender, but let’s take things more day-by-day. I’ve seen way too many fans and even media figures crown him as the next franchise goaltender, and he definitely can be, but the Buffalo Sabres need to do this right.

That said, let’s see what Levi does in his final starts this season, and it’s also important to see how he fares when opponents have film on him. Further, can he keep this up in training camp and in the preseason when someone inevitably finds a weakness?

There are still many questions regarding Levi, despite his remarkable play thus far. And while we need to tone down the expectations and what-ifs, his presence is, and should, carry a lot of excitement for the team’s outlook.

3 – Dynamic prospect pool

Technically, Levi is part of that prospect pool, but I want to focus this section instead on the likes of Jiri Kulich, Matt Savoie, and other high-end names. It’s no secret the Buffalo Sabres may enter 2023-24 as a younger team than they were this season, and one reason is that guys like Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons may not be around.

Enter Kulich, Savoie, and perhaps even Brandon Biro and Brett Murray. While you may see more growing pains next year because of a further influx of youth, it shouldn’t diminish your excitement. Kulich, Savoie, and Company will be joining a team with a couple of seasons of experience of not only playing together, but also playing in the same system. And for once, under the same coach.

Growing pains? Yes. But they won’t be as pronounced as they were when general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Don Granato were building this thing basically from scratch.