The 2023 Stanley Cup Finals consisted of former Buffalo Sabres first round picks as Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart faced off for the Stanley Cup. Eichel was the one who prevailed in the end as he raised the Cup over his head one year after being traded from the Sabres.
In the last few years, there have been a ton of former players who were on Buffalo playing with their new team, having a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Fast forward this year, there were a ton of former Sabres in the playoffs. Sam Reinhart, Kyle Okposo, Brandon Montour, Dmitry Kulikov and Evan Rodrigues are all on the Florida Panthers.
Those are just a few names of former Buffalo players playing in the playoffs this year.
This Buffalo Sabres team from 2017 was GOOD
— Adam Reid (@AdamReid_) May 31, 2024
Seven years later it goes hard 🤔 pic.twitter.com/BuIQRwFD6C
Recently, there was a screenshot floating around of the talent Buffalo had. Back then, some of these players were afterthoughts. Now, they are helping out their current team each season fighting in the playoffs. Ten of the players you see above are on teams who made the postseason this year.
Four of those players are on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals this season and if the Edmonton Oilers win tonight, it will be five as Evander Kane will be the next former Sabre playing for the Stanley Cup. It begs my original question, how did Buffalo not make the playoffs?
It's no secret that some of these players were liabilities with the Sabres. He is not on the list but, Montour has been a revelation with the Panthers along with Reinhart, who had a career year. Did previous regimes not build enough? Was the coaching that bad and not utilizing the talent?
It truly is a mystery. Looking at the current Sabres team, they have tons of talent. With Lindy Ruff back as head coach, hopefully general manager Kevyn Adams will improve the team in the offseason. While it might be a tough pill to swallow, fans should try to not be irked as the former Sabres are in a much better position than they were in Buffalo.
Let's hope this current regime can turn things around so we can see the actual Sabres make the postseason.