HutsonNorlinderGuhle
Joined: Jul. 2020
Posts: 2,768
Likes: 1,377
With the additions of Eric Staal and Taylor Hall this offseason, the Sabres became a much scarier team to play against. Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart are entering their primes, and Rasmus Dahlin is always a stud.
Their forwards seem fine, because with the additions of the two aforementioned and Cody Eakin, They got a lot deeper. It also allows them to let Dylan Cozens develop another year.
Their defense I thought was decent last year, because any defense core with Dahlin will be at least okay. This year, the hope is that Dahlin can take more minutes and Jokiharju can inch his way into the top four. If Mattias Samuelsson is ready, great. If not, they have a capable defenceman in the AHL in Casey Nelson
I think the only thing that will be stopping the Sabres at this point is their division. The Central and the Metro have been the perennial heavyweights, but the Central is getting old and the Metro is still very good(confusing myself here). The Pacific is as shaky and open as ever, and IMO the Atlantic might be the toughest this year.
If you have the Tampa Bay Lightning in your division, it sucks. You're not getting first in that division. Other than them, there's the ever-stronger Leafs, flailing Bruins, upstart Habs, the bloody Panthers!?!?!?!? A
Anyway, my take is that the Bruins are weakening. They lost Krug and don't have a replacement, and most of their impact players are on the wrong side of 30(Pasta, however....). IMO their Cup year was when they lost to the Blues.
The Bolts are downright scary. Even if they lose Cirelli, they are a heavyweight.
The Leafs added some veteran presence to their roster with Simmonds and Brodie, which IMO will help them infinitely. I think this will be their first year that they go far in the playoffs.
The Habs are in the same seat as the Sabres...made some good additions, are a decent team, but are battling with slightly better teams for a spot. If Pricey shows up, I think we can expect a playoff run
Bill Zito is not the type of man to sit back for a season and get to know his team. Mr Zito managed to get Patric Hornqvist, Alex Wennberg, and Carter Verhaeghe. I thought the Panthers were a decent team last yea,r now I'm scared for my Habs. Barkov and Huberdeau alone are frightening.
Okay. final question, considering all of the above. Are the Buffalo Sabres a playoff team?