Where the Buffalo roam, Sabres year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON OUTLOOK: Bleak. A rotten season  the year before, the signing of Moulson and Gionta was hoped to give the team some veteran offense and a positive clubhouse influence. Nobody thought they would finish anywhere enar a playoff spot.

 

FINAL RECORD: 23-51-8 54 points dead last in the NHL.

 

HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR: November 15TH they beat the Leafs and between then and December 15th, a stretch of one month the Sabres actually went 10-3, beating some big boys along the way, including the Habs (twice) the Bolts, Sens, Kings and Flames. They were a tough team to play and managed to dig out of a early season hole and get their record to a somewhat respectable and surprising 13-16-2. Ted Nolan had the kids playing their hearts out.

 

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR: The wheels fell off from there, from that point on the Sabres lost 17 of the next 18 games to fall out of anything save for the McDavid or Eichel sweepstakes.

 In fact, the Oilers getting the first pick and nabbing McDavid and the Sabres getting the talented Eichel who is a heck of a prospect but not a world beater like McDavid, could be argued by some as the low point of the year. Finished last, still didn't get the number one pick when a once in a lifetime player is out there.

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT:

 Little Tyler Ennis led the team with 20 goals and 46 points. The huge trade with the Jets of Myers and Free agent to be Stafford netted Evander Kane and Bogosian and could pay off big beginning this year. Zemgus Girgensons had a very nice season until missing most of the final month. Anders Lindback came over from Dallas and was actually pretty decent down the stretch. First rounder blueliners Ristolainen and Zadorov got a long look and got used to what it takes in the NHL.

 

WHAT WENT WRONG:

Moulson was pretty awful with only 13 goals. Cody Hodgson was lost and seemed to live in the teams doghouse. Marcus Foligno took a step back. Big free agent signee Josh Gorges was pretty bad and then injured before the deadline so the Sabres were unable to unload him. 4 players appeared in net, none really stood out. Sam Reinhart looked lost in his nine game stint before being returned to Juniors. At least ten players who appeared in Sabre jerseys were career AHL retreads. Mikhail Grigorenko, first rounder from a few years previous, is appearing to be a bust.

 

STRANGE STAT OF THE YEAR: 20 different players finished double digit minus in the plus/minus category. The four main faceoff men all were bad, 46 pct or less.

 

UFAs:

Meszaros

Andre Benoit

Strachan

Lindback

 

TOP PROSPECTS FOR 2015-16:

 

Sam Reinhart was given a chance to get his feet wet last year, this year he will be given a chance to play regularly. Eichel will be the number two pick in the draft and will be given every chance to shine. These two are what the Sabres plan on building around. Jake McCabe will crack the blueline. Goalies Nathan Lieuwen and Andrey Makarov will get the chance to claim at the least the backup netminding job.

 

OFFSEASON QUESTION MARKS: First one answered when they lost the McDavid sweepstakes, now they have Eichel and need to pray he is as good as he is supposed to be. No goalie on the NHL level, lots of cap room and a buyers market should allow them to fill this need with ease.

 Who will coach the club? Tim Murray is developing a reputation as a daring, aggressive GM, what is he going to do next?

[flyerrod]

Nice concise write up and an even better choice of pictures. One of my all time favorite movies. Bill Murray plays HST better than Johnny Depp could ever hope to (and Depp did not have a bad performance either). I still am not sure why Nolan was kicked to the curb but the Sabres if healthy should be a solid team to play against next season.

[ScottM]

My biggest question about Buffalo going forward is, what will they do in net? Sure, they will have the cap space, but who will they go after? Or maybe I should ask, who will be interested? Will they be able to get a fairly big name goalie with just the possibility of a bright future to draw him in, or will they end up having to pay through the nose and try the "money talks" philosophy?

[yave1964]

My biggest question about Buffalo going forward is, what will they do in net? Sure, they will have the cap space, but who will they go after? Or maybe I should ask, who will be interested? Will they be able to get a fairly big name goalie with just the possibility of a bright future to draw him in, or will they end up having to pay through the nose and try the "money talks" philosophy?

In a usual year there are 1 or 2 goalies of note out there, this season it might be half a dozen waiting for the music to stop so they can fight for 3 spots. Buffalo is in a unique position (as are Edmonton and San Jose) of actually picking and choosing and not overpaying.

[ScottM]

Coast to coast there are far more people interested in the Sabres than your Ottawa Senators.

 

I'm not sure how that's relevant. The Sabres may have plenty of takers. Time will tell. Regardless, at this point that's my biggest question for them headed into next year. Something will have to be done in net for Buffalo if they want to improve much at all.

[yave1964]

I'm not sure how that's relevant. The Sabres may have plenty of takers. Time will tell. Regardless, at this point that's my biggest question for them headed into next year. Something will have to be done in net for Buffalo if they want to improve much at all.

Scott no idea why he does this. He just kind of gets on his own soapbox and........

The Sabres have had one great goalie, (Hasek) and quite a few very good ones (Barasso, part of Crozier, Miller) but that is not the point., The point is this year, right now, they have a scorched Earth in net. No goalie worth looking at in the NHL level and Makarov and Liewen are mediocre prospects at the A. They are in a great position with that tho, lots of goalies, very few takers. Buffalo could land one or even two and still have cap room.

 

Oh and @Hockey Junkie Coast to Coast there are far more people interested in the Red Wings than your Buffalo Sabres. And the Senators have an entire National following. The Sabres usually are watched with a laugh track on in the background. Just sayin.