The Sabres, after winning three straight games, now have lost three straight, and the opponents have lit the lamp 11 times in that stretch, while Buffalo has only found the back of the net five times. After 12 games last season, former head coach Don Granato had the Sabres playing at a .500 winning percentage.
Ruff has this newly built Sabres team sitting 4-7-1, which is the worst start since 2017-18 a team who finished with 25 wins after starting 3-7-2. For a more comparable start to the season, you would have to go to the 2020-21 season where the Sabres started 4-6-2, and only finished with 15 wins in the season. The time and pressure is mounting on the current coach to turn this season around, because the Sabres haven’t started a season with a winning record after 12 game since 19-20.
A team that is confused on how to play
One of the hardest things as a team transition coach every few seasons to find the right one to push the team to the playoffs is the variety of systems many of these young players have played in. Granato wanted to play a high-tempo offensive game, which created scoring opportunities for Cozens and others. The power play flourished, but those teams struggled defensively.
What is being shown on the ice is a mix of two systems, because not all 23 players have bought into the Ruff style of play. Ruff wants structure in way the team moves up the ice all five-players touching the puck before entering the offensive zone, while Granato style was a more aggressive style east, west type of play, while trying to stretch the ice with speed.
One of the positives seen from the Ruff structure has been more organized play in the offensive zone, but with many players forgetting and reverting to old ways leads to several odd man rushes and turnovers. Ruff is stepping up his accountability as he works on motivating his team before the season risks being lost before December.
He halted a practice on Monday to tell his players how he feels, with Dylan Cozens saying “He tells us what he doesn’t like, and he tells it straight up.” While the players know a sloppy start is unacceptable, they haven’t had a coach to tell them so. Ruff has a tough task of changing the minds of the youngest team in the NHL to change their ways and play better hockey.
The need for more scoring
The failure so far under Lindy Ruff has been clear on the ice and on the stat sheet through 12 games. Not only is the team sitting second to last in the Atlantic, but the Sabres are also sitting dead last on the power play, a man advantage that two seasons ago was in the top 10. The penalty kill sits 27th in the NHL, and they haven’t had a top-15 penalty kill since the 18-19 season when the Sabres ranked 12th on the PK.
Scoring from last season to this season has been nearly identical Sabres averaged 2.99 goals last season through 12 this season Buffalo averages around three goals per game. Through 12 games last season, the Sabres were fifth in scoring. The Sabres sit in the middle of the pack so far. Many of the Sabres shots are not hitting the net as Buffalo leads the NHL in a missed shot with 200 that number 63 more than last season.
While the Sabres have maybe one of the better first lines in hockey, Buffalo falls into the same trap of not having enough scoring throughout the lineup. The Sabres did not spend enough on scoring in the offseason and its showing in their top six. With general manager Kevyn Adams wanting to be aggressive, maybe the summer fantasy will come true, and the Sabres will land Nikolaj Ehlers, as the Sabres have $6 million to spend.