4 surprises from the 2023/2024 Buffalo Sabres
Now that the 2023/2024 regular season is done for the Buffalo Sabres, it's time to reflect on the year it was. Even though the Sabres finished with a winning record for the second straight year, this season was considered as a failure.
With how much the team took a step forward after the 2022/2023 season, we thought this was the year the playoff drought would end. Obviously, it wasn't and I think it will be an interesting and active offseason for general manager Kevyn Adams.
The season was a disappointment and I think that was a big surprise. Aside from the results, there were other surprises, both good and bad. In this article, here are two good and two bad surprises from the 2023/2024 Buffalo Sabres.
Good: Zach Benson's rookie season
After being selected 13th overall by Buffalo in last year's Draft, Zach Benson had a strong preseason and as a result, he made the opening night roster. In his first NHL season, Benson scored 11 goals and registered 19 assists for 30 points in 71 games played. While his numbers were nothing insane, hitting the double-digit mark in goals is pretty good for an 18-year-old.
In the points department, the rookie finished eighth-best on the team. Zach earned his way on the main roster and finished this season strong. One thing I love about Benson is he isn't afraid to go to the front of the net and try to cause a disturbance. Now and then he will play with a nasty side, which is what Buffalo needs more of.
Depending on what the Sabres do in the offseason, I think 50 points is a good target for Benson in his second year. He is going to be a huge part of the franchise and I'm excited to see how he does.
Bad: Buffalo's power play
For some reason, the Sabres power play was a HUGE disappointment this year. Even with the talent they have, it was dreadful to watch. In some situations, Buffalo had as many as SIX power plays in games and couldn't score on any of them. It truly was hard to watch in some cases.
Gaining entry and passing way too much were the key takeaways for me while watching them with the man advantage. The Sabres power play unit was at the bottom of the NHL this year and it was a huge liability. I remember there were times when I said to myself, "Just decline the power play", it was bad.
With new coach Lindy Ruff at the helm, let's hope he can find someone who knows how to run a good power play because it was embarrassing this season.
Good: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen takes a leap forward
For the final good surprise, it was Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. He was phenomenal this season and gave the Sabres a chance when they were involved in the postseason race. He went 27-22-4 with a .910 save percentage and a goals-against average of 2.57. You can make a case for him to be a Vezina candidate, he was that good for Buffalo.
After a strong first half, fans were left wondering if this was the year he would together a complete season. In previous years, he would play well sometimes or just play well for the first half of the season. This year was a different story and I couldn't be happier for Ukko.
You can make an argument that he was the team's MVP and with him being due for a new contract, I expect Adams to make him a top priority in the offseason.
Bad: Dylan Cozens was a disappointment
Last but not least, Dylan Cozens. After scoring over 30 goals last year, the workhorse from Whitehorse took a step back this season. In 79 games played, Cozens scored 18 goals and registered 29 assists for 47 points. Even with those numbers, Dylan still finished top five in points on the team.
I thought this was the year Cozens hit 40 goals but like other players on the team, he took a step back. With Ruff as the coach, I think Dylan will bounce back next season. Lindy gets the best out of his players and with how accountable Cozens is, he may redeem himself in 2024/2025.
There were lots of surprises, good and bad from Buffalo this year. When it comes to the bad surprises, hopefully, they will have better luck next season.
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