Quoting: LoganOllivier
While I do think Buffalo will improve a fair amount this season, health permitting, but making the playoffs is a tall order. To make the top three in their division they will have to pass one of Toronto, Boston or Tampa. That is highly unlikely. Next they have finish higher than one of the wildcard teams, meaning they will be competing with Philly, Columbus, New Jersey, Florida and Carolina who all finished higher than Buffalo last season. It'll be very tough to make up that much ground in the conference.
I think likely scenario is Buffalo improves but is still on the outside looking in come playoff time.
Quoting: nicetiety
I think the playoffs are in the horizon but not this year. Probably next. Wait for Pominville to get off the books and get a nice 2nd line wing. There's also room to improve over Sobotka or Okoposo
I agree with both of you.
Compare the team Betterall inherited from DATM to current version.
Kane >>> Sheary (if Sheary can get 18 goals, not 20 lol, with Eichel, this difference becomes much less significant)
O'Reilly >> Mittelstadt (if Casey plays as he did last year and during the 3 on 3, this difference may melt away)
Lehner/ Nielson < Hutton/Ullmark
Foligno < Berglund
Moulson << Pominville
Ennis < Sobotka
Deslauriers =< Wilson
Carrier/Grant << Rodrigues
Franson < Scandella
Georges =< Beaulieu
Kulikov <<<< Dahlin
That 2016-2017 team finished with 81 points. If Colorado can go from 48 to 95 points last year, I would think Buffalo could at least go from 61 to 90 now that the cancer is gone.
In addition Betterall added Pilut, Hickey, O’Regan and Thompson. All prospects who could be on the team next year. Eichel, Reinhart, Okposo, Ristolainen, McCabe, Girgensons, Larsson, Bogosian, remain.