Ask yourself this; coming into the 2023/2024 season, what were your expectations for the Buffalo Sabres? After an impressive 2022/2023 season in which they missed the playoffs by one point, did you think they would make the postseason this year? Some fans were skeptical because they weren't sure if the season before was a "one year wonder".
With the season done for the Sabres, I did some thinking over the last couple of months. From what we watched in 2022/2023, I did think this was the year they were going to break the drought. During the last six months of watching them, it truly was a bizarre season. But why? Here is a breakdown of why it was a weird season.
Power play regression
The power play was a huge liability this season. Even with all the talent on the ice, Buffalo struggled big time with the man advantage. At some points of the season, there were times where the Sabres went 0/6 or 0/4. It was awful to watch. Whatever Matt Ellis drew up was not good enough. Hopefully, the new staff under Lindy Ruff will come up with a better plan.
Dylan Cozens taking a step back
Dylan Cozens earned himself an extension in the middle of last season, in which he scored over 30 goals. This year, it was a rough year for the Workhorse from Whitehorse. He only scored 18 goals and finished with 47 points. In addition, Cozens had some bad defensive moments as well. Going forward, I think he will rebound after a rough 2023/2024 season.
Slow starts from star players
Just like Cozens, other players started off slow. However, they finished out the year pretty well. Players like Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, and Zach Benson were playing good hockey as the year went along. In the case of Thompson and Tuch, they were battling injuries all season. With some rest, I see them playing well ALL year in 2024/2025.
Playing inconsistent hockey
It was a trend all year long. Buffalo played an inconsistent style of hockey in 2023/2024. They would play very well and win against some of the best teams in the league, then would look like a completely different team against the teams who were not playing good. Bad stretches will happen, but if the Sabres want to break the drought, playing a consistent brand of hockey needs to happen.
Faceoffs
Winning draws was another glaring issue with Buffalo this year. The Sabres were in the bottom five of faceoff win percentages. General manager Kevyn Adams did say that he wants to get a third-line center in the offseason, so hopefully that comes to fruition.
Trailing games early
Lastly, Buffalo started off slow in many games. Whether it was 1-0, 2-0 or even in some cases 3-0, they found themselves down early and often. It's hard to win games in the NHL when you are in a hole to start the game. If the Sabres want to play in the postseason next year, getting off to good starts is vital.