There is no question that it has been an ugly start to the season for the Buffalo Sabres. It certainly is not the way they wanted to begin after ending their playoff drought last season and coming within one goal of the Eastern Conference Finals.
While there are plenty of reasons to be concerned, from goaltending to special teams, the Sabres are exactly where they were this time last season. Through 11 games each of the past two seasons, the Sabres have a 4-4-3 record with 11 points.
When looking back at the beginning of this season, there have been a few reasons for optimism that should give fans hope that they can once again get back to the playoffs.
Jack Quinn on pace for a career season in goals
There is no forward who is playing better hockey for the Buffalo Sabres right now than Jack Quinn. He has been their most productive forward but, more importantly, their most consistent.
Through 11 games, he has 11 points with six goals and five assists, with at least one point in seven of those games. He is currently on a four-game point streak that started with a four-point game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This past season, Quinn had his first season with 20 goals and over 50 points. The way he has begun this season, he is once again well on his way to not only matching those but surpassing them.
Owen Power building on a breakout season
The Buffalo Sabres were without Rasmus Dahlin for three games already this season, but it didn't matter too much, as Owen Power has been playing so well. Through 11 games, he already has nine points, a +/- of +4, and two game-winning goals. Both game-winning goals occurred in overtime, and it also matched his career total in that category entering this season.
There were certainly questions from the offseason after the Sabres traded away Bowen Byram and how the team might replace him. They did bring in Olen Zellweger shortly after moving Byram, but it really has been Power who has made sure there hasn't been a major impact on the blueline.
If Power can continue to play at this level, with hopefully Dahlin getting back to playing like a Norris-Trophy finalist, it will be a huge boost for this team.
Points in five of their last six games
It is no secret that the Buffalo Sabres are not playing their best hockey and, frankly, some may even say they aren't playing good hockey. However, even through all their struggles, they are still finding ways to at least get a point and have been able to do that in five of the past six games.
One of the reasons they have been able to do that is that they play very well in the third period and already have a goal differential of +8 in that period. They have been able to come back a few times already this season when being down two or more goals.
They have definitely needed those third-period performances because they have yet to go into that final period with a lead. However, have gotten points in six of the 10 games they have been trailing after the second period.
This was never the start to the season that fans wanted but these are a few reasons to be optimistic about the rest of the season for the Buffalo Sabres.
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