Edited Oct. 14, 2021 at 8:13 a.m.
Quoting: Sabres_Insider
I think this team will do better than last year. You can call me crazy but I actually believe it. Granato is the obvious reason. But with Eichel, Reinhart, McCabe, Risto, and Ullmark, this team finished last in the league twice. Maybe now that the team is completely changed, and that the culture is changed, maybe this team is better
I think Granato could be a difference maker, I agree, it was time to make a change.
The Sabres finished the season 9-11-2 45% v 6-23-5 25% through the first 34 games.
I like the UFA's we signed.
I wanted Pysyk last year, getting Hinostroza was huge and Keeping Caggiula was a smart move.
I also like that there are not any first year players on the opening night roster, they were all sent to Rochester to grow and start in a winning atmosphere.
I am hoping butcher can produce in Buffalo as he did in NJ, Skinner will get 30 goals, Mittelstadt will reach 70 pts, Thompson will get 20 goals, and Cozens will look like a #1 center.
On the other hand.
I thought the 2017-'18 Sabres were going to be much better.
The 2016-'17 Sabres defense was terrible, Franson, Gorges, Bogosian, Falk, and Kulikov all played 45 games or more.
Two years later all but Bogosian and Kulikov are out of the NHL.
The following year we add Scandella, Beaulieu, to the defense while Pominville, Scandella, Wilson and Nolan all had Stanley Cup experience were also added.
The '16-'17 team did not have any secondary scoring Pominville and Pouliot added 16 and 13 goals respectively, not great but better than the previous year.
Let me add, the Hockey Writers predicted the Sabres would end their playoff drought, so I was not the only one excited about the changes.
So what happens the team goes from 78 pts to 62 and last place overall, 16 pts worse instead of 16 pts better.
I know I am getting long winded, I am excited about the future.
Power, Samuelsson, Bryson, Johnson, Laaksonen on defense, Quinn, Peterka, Rosen, Pekar, Murray, Weissbach up front and UPL, Levi and Portillo net minders.
But 7 years ago ESPN had 8 Sabre prospects ranked among the top 100 NHL prospects.
Reinhart was the highest rated at # 7 and McCabe was the last at 72nd.
I was super excited about the future, it looked really bright.
The other five were Possler (69th), Armia (60th), Compher (51st), Fasching (44th) Zadorov (21st), Grigorenko (17th)
NONE of them are on the team but all but Grigorenko, Possler and Fasching are in the NHL now.
Here is the complete list: https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/2dd2uj/espns_top_100_prospects_insider_only_list_in/
BTW Gaudreau was ranked 42nd.