The Buffalo Sabres rediscovered their winning ways in April, and it let them hang around the playoff race longer than most would have thought.
The Buffalo Sabres have gotten hot, and as we head into Game 80, they still have a slim chance to make the playoffs. But at this point, and after 12 years of headaches, even a small chance is better than none.
There are a few reasons for the Blue and Gold’s success lately. Devon Levi is obviously one of them. Casey Mittelstadt, who’s been more than serviceable as first line center filling in for Tage Thompson, is another. But perhaps a third reason is that the Sabres can finally scratch their biggest liabilities.
And better yet, with a deeper roster, plus talent slated to move up through the rankings, they can also show a few of these liabilities the door. So which players will the Blue and Gold cut ties with before next season begins? Here are three names.
The Buffalo Sabres are finished with the following three players
1 – Victor Olofsson
Victor Olofsson hasn’t seen any action since April 1st, and while he has 26 goals on the season, the winger once again performed multiple disappearing acts, going stretches without doing anything. Olofsson has also never figured out how to play defense in this league, and it further justifies the case for replacing him.
With prospects like Jiri Kulich and Matt Savoie, among others, who look ready to make the jump, Olofsson, in a best-case scenario, will be listed as a healthy scratch next season until the Blue and Gold find a way to move him. Either way you look at it, his days are numbered in Buffalo.
2 – Eric Comrie
Eric Comrie could have enjoyed time as at least a bridge this season, but an 0.886 save percentage and a 3.67 GAA put those plans in peril. Further, Devon Levi’s emergence has all but sealed his fate with the Blue and Gold, but that could have been the case as early as January, when I said there was writing on the wall after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started getting hot.
The Buffalo Sabres will either replace Comrie with a veteran goaltender, talk Craig Anderson into coming back and sitting behind Levi for 55-60 games next season (at this point, it’s not as farfetched as you may think), or entrusting Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to back up the rookie. Either way you look at it, Comrie isn’t winning this thing.
3 – Jacob Bryson
Jacob Bryson was one player I had higher hopes for. He came off of a season where he improved in almost every category, and the arrow pointed north for him. But nope, it was nothing more than a mirage for Bryson, and it got to the point where Buffalo was playing Kale Clague in his stead.
And as it stands, the Blue and Gold have three solid players and three serviceable names in the defensive rotation. If general manager Kevyn Adams makes a splash signing, it’s going to be for a top four defenseman, and it will force Bryson out of the equation entirely.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)