Hockey Hall of Famer says Buffalo Sabres have one question left to answer

Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger knows a thing or two about playing in big games.

The six-time NHL All-Star owns 173 games of playoff experience, highlighted by helping the Anaheim Ducks win a Stanley Cup title in 2007, and he also played a key role as Team Canada captured Olympic gold medals in 2002 and 2010.

Pronger explained Friday during an appearance on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio that he's been impressed with the Buffalo Sabres' rapid rise up the Eastern Conference standings, calling them an "exciting team to watch." He's not completely convinced about their postseason viability, though. At least not yet.

"I guess the one question mark is just can they play a 2-1 game?" Pronger said. "They're scoring an awful lot of goals but can they lock it down when they need to? They can shut it down late in a game, as we saw against Tampa. I thought they played really, really well to close that one out. But I think the big question mark for me is can they win a game 2-1? They've been outscoring teams, and really just high-flying, but we'll see how that plays out in these playoffs."

Buffalo ranks tied for fourth in the NHL in goals scored per game (3.51) but it's a more modest 14th in goals against per contest (3.02), and that number may be a bit kind to the club's defensive play since its goalies rate fifth in combined save percentage (.906) this season.

The advanced numbers paint a little more concerning picture. The Sabres sit 25th in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes (3.42) in all situations and they're 23rd in high-danger chances given up per hour (12.79), according to Natural Stat Trick.

That would suggest the Blue and Gold either need to improve their overall defensive game, which is possible with the additions of Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn along with the potential injury return of Conor Timmins, or continue to receive elite goaltending from Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff must proceed with caution while seeking defensive improvements

Two seasons ago, the Sabres were coming off missing the playoffs by a single point in 2022-23 and then-coach Don Granato attempted to overhaul the team's style of play. Their wide-open approach produced a breakthrough campaign but he wasn't sure if it had staying power.

Granato tried to get Buffalo to become defensively responsible. It worked to an extent, but it came at the cost of losing the attacking pressure the Blue and Gold generated off the rush the previous year.

The result? The Sabres lost seven points in the standings in 2023-24, missed the postseason again and the organization decided to make a coaching change to bring back Ruff, who'd previously led the coaching staff from 1997 through 2013.

Ruff's first season back at the helm didn't produce the desired results, but Buffalo has completely turned things around over the past three months.

The Sabres have posted a 29-5-2 record since Dec. 9 to vault from last in the East to second place, and they're only two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the No. 1 spot. They're also four points clear of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Atlantic Division lead.

It's been an unexpected transition from NHL also-ran to dark horse Stanley Cup contender, and Ruff must be careful with how much he tries to tinker during the stretch run of the regular season. His group hasn't been perfect, but they've been crushing opponents into submission.

Ruff, a top Jack Adams Award candidate, possesses an eye-popping 2,035 games of head coaching experience across two Sabres stints along with stops with the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils. He knows how to toe the line between seeking improvement and not messing with success.

Buffalo is riding a wave right now: An eight-game winning streak to ease any concerns about a slight dip in performance before the NHL's recent three-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Yes, there are some legitimate underlying defensive questions and Pronger is right to suggest it's a question mark with the playoffs on the horizon. But the Sabres' overall level of play is far higher than it's been at any point in two decades. This run hasn't been a fluke.

That said, there's always more to prove for every team until the Stanley Cup is raised.