Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres coverage. Related to the Sabres, their prospects and the minors.

Double Minors: Montreal Looms After Buffalo Dispatches Boston

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The first job is done. The Sabres continued their impressive play on the road, winning a third game at TD Garden and dispatching the Boston Bruins with a 4-1 win in game six of their first round series. 

It was the first series win for the Sabres since they beat the Rangers in 2007. If it wasn’t for that pesky playoff drought, the time since their last series win may have been a bigger story. The Sabres now move on to their second round date with the Montreal Canadiens, who survived game seven in Tampa Bay to knock off the Lightning 2-1. 

Both the Buffalo-Boston and Montreal-Tampa Bay series were road-heavy, with a total of three home wins between the two. Whether or not that trend continues remains to be seen. Both buildings have been lauded for their atmosphere through the first round, though I’m sure both teams wish they had done a better job capitalizing on that home-ice advantage.

Continue reading →

Double Minors: Back to Boston

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

David Pastrnak was held off the scoresheet for the last two games. He found his way back to it on Tuesday night in the most meaningful way possible. Pastrnak got behind Mattias Samuelsson in overtime as the Bruins disrupted Buffalo’s zone entry and after being stymied on his first two breakaway attempts in the series, Pastrnak made no mistake this time, sending the series back to Boston for game six. 

The entry that was broken up looked dangerous too. Ryan McLeod was streaking open high in the Boston slot. Had Krebs gotten his pass through, we might be having a much different conversation. Krebs not getting that pass through was something of a theme for the Sabres tonight. It seemed that there were too many occasions with errant or intercepted passes where the Sabres simply weren’t as crisp as they were on Sunday. Credit is due to the Bruins here as well. Boston was far more assertive in game five and they consistently eliminated Buffalo’s time and space. That showed up in several places, including the shot clock, where the Sabres only managed 21 shots on goal in regulation. 

They were still just one shot away in overtime. Buffalo had started to press the issue in the extra period as well. The Bruins were content to weather the storm and catch the Sabres on a counter, and it played out perfectly. However, there were a few opportunities for the Sabres to end it as well. Perhaps none bigger than the look Alex Tuch got in the slot off an effective cycle. Much like the intercepted pass to McLeod, a few more inches of elevation from Tuch and the Sabres would be scheduling games for round two. 

Continue reading →

Double Minors: The Sabres Come Home With A Stranglehold on the Series

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The first period breakthrough the Sabres had been searching for over the first three games of the series finally came. Buffalo translated another hot start into an onslaught of goals that effectively ended the game after 20 minutes. 

Buffalo’s starts have been the one through-line of this series. They have pressed Boston early in each game, consistently harassing the Bruins defense and creating chances off of turnovers. Even in game two, when the Sabres turned in a largely flat performance, the opening eight minutes of the game was an impressive display. The only thing they were lacking was an early breakthrough. Buffalo more than made up for the elusive first goal with a four-goal first period and carrying their hot first period to a 3-1 series lead. 

Continue reading →

Double Minors: Lyon, Ostlund Push the Sabres Back In Front

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The Sabres are back in front of their first round series after a 3-1 road win in Boston. Noah Ostlund provided a spark as the Sabres had to come from behind once again to topple the Bruins.

Buffalo played more to their identity in game three, producing an effort that looked much more like game one than game two. Thursday’s tilt wasn’t without its dramatic points. The Sabres surrendered the first goal once again and the power play is still listless. There were also some moments where the Sabres struggled in transition and generating dangerous chances. On balance, the Sabres did a better job getting pucks to the slot and to the crease, creating a more chaotic environment for Jeremy Swayman to manage.

Continue reading →

Double Minors: Atrocious Power Play Dooms Sabres in Game Two Loss

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Let’s start with the obvious. This wasn’t going to be a sweep. No matter how good the vibes were after game one, this was going to take more than four games to settle. Now, the series goes back to Boston at 1-1 after the Bruins cruised to a 4-2 win in game two. 

It was the Bruins turn to be the imposing team after the Sabres were the better side in game one. Boston choked out Buffalo in transition and eliminated the forecheck that allowed the Sabres to maintain an impressive level of pressure in game one. The Sabres played a role in that as well, exhibiting a level of sloppiness in possession that was absent on Sunday. But the Bruins deserve credit for countering what made the Sabres so impressive in game one and exerting control for large portions of the game. David Pastrnak picked up two more points along the way. That’s two multi-point efforts for the Bruins’ star and five points total in the series. He’s been a difference maker. 

Score effects will make Buffalo’s shot totals look favorable, but they were held in check for most of the opening 40 minutes. A good encapsulation of Buffalo’s struggles to generate looks came in the second period. Opening on the power play, the Sabres registered a shot 39 seconds in courtesy of Tage Thompson. Buffalo’s next shot didn’t come until the 10:34 mark (also a Tage Thompson attempt on the power play). The two shots from Thompson were the only two of the period to come from inside 10 feet. Buffalo’s other six shots came from 36 feet or further away. 

Continue reading →

Double Minors: Sabres Ride Possession Wave to Game One Win

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

What a way to end 15 years of waiting. Game one of the Sabres-Bruins series was a dramatic reintroduction of playoff hockey to the Sabres fanbase. It’s hard to say last night was the ideal way for game one to go, since a victory in any form would have been an exalting experience, but an eight-minute, four-goal third period barrage was a hell of a way for it to go. 

After all, what’s an extra 50 minutes after 15 years off?

Buffalo’s surge probably should’ve come sooner given how the game went. The first period was the most balanced of the three and possession still favored Buffalo. The Sabres exerted an impressive level of control throughout the game and it felt like a game where it was a matter of when, not if, the breakthrough would come. 

Continue reading →

Two in the Mailbox: Lineup Choices on the Blueline and in Goal Loom for the Playoffs

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Two in the Mailbox is a semi-regular mailbag series. This latest edition tackles a host of Sabres topics including the effectiveness of Buffalo’s third defensive pair, which two defensemen should be the preferred choice and what the Sabres should ante up for Robert Thomas. 

Continue reading →

Attention Shifts to Kekäläinen as the Sabres Return

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Hopefully the Sabres savored the much needed rest offered by the Olympic break, because there will be no room for relaxation over the next five weeks. 

Buffalo’s run into the Olympic break was no easy lift, playing 14 games in 26 days with virtually every one of them carrying significant stakes in the jam packed Eastern Conference playoff race. The Sabres will play 18 games between Wednesday and March 31 and they will only get more than one day off between games four times over the course of the month. The schedule includes back-to-back games in Florida this coming weekend in addition to a home set at the end of March against Detroit and Seattle. In the middle will be a Meaningful Games in March edition of Sabres After Dark as the team takes a western swing to Vegas and California. 

That’s a long way of saying things won’t be any easier for the Sabres as they try and snap their 14-year playoff drought. For as much attention will be on the teams as they jump back into action, more will be on Jarmo Kekäläinen with the NHL trade deadline just over a week away. 

A three week break in the middle of the year should have been a godsend for a team with a healthy injury list, but the Sabres are still dealing with a few notable injuries. Zach Benson will miss this opening road trip as he continues to recover from the injury he sustained in Florida. Giving him until next week would mark four weeks of recovery which is probably in line with whatever needed to heal in his shoulder and arm. Justin Danforth, Jordan Greenway and Conor Timminos also remain out, as does Jiri Kulich. However, Kulich deserves a different category from the others as his recovery from blood clots still requires at least one more re-evaluation. On the bright side, the time off has allowed Josh Dunne, Michael Kesselring, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Josh Norris to rejoin the team. Hopefully Kesselring and Norris are at 100% 

Both Danforth and Timmins will return to the Sabres at some point and it seems as if Kulich will as well. Greenway’s future appears to be much cloudier, meaning the needs of the roster are much more apparent. Can Kekäläinen find a forward who can supplement Buffalo’s top nine? Is there a defenseman available who can be trusted more in a depth role than Jacob Bryson or Zach Metsa? 

One of the most notable developments of this year’s push up the standings has been the play of Buffalo’s top four. Bowen Byram, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson have really driven the bus for the Sabres and have, perhaps, been the most valuable unit on the roster. However, the group has been ridden hard, particularly in the weeks leading up to the Olympic break when they each played 23, 24 or 25 minutes a night. Kesselring’s health will be a factor here, as his availability has forced Bryson and Metsa into the lineup more than I would think anyone had expected in the offseason. Kesselring would be step one towards reducing some of the workload and stress on that top four group, but the stark drop in icetime given to Bryson and Metsa when they have played indicates the need to give Lindy Ruff another reliable defenseman. 

Yes, Timmins will return in the coming days or weeks. His precise timeline hasn’t been made public as of yet, but he will be back eventually. Adding one more body to this group would create a choice of three players to round out Buffalo’s bottom pair. Bryson or Metsa could remain as emergency options, but one more viable option for the blueline is as pressing as any other addition Kekäläinen can make. 

Who that could be remains in flux. Plenty of names are floating around the rumor mill. Including, but not limited to Logan Stanley, Connor Murphy and, just this week, Mackenzie Weegar. Trade protection may still be a hurdle for the Sabres. Handedness could be as well. It’s a bit ironic that there are so many right handed defensemen on trade boards after the Sabres expended so much energy bringing in righties to help balance their defensive corps. There was a lot of time spent discussing how the Sabres could strengthen their depth on the right side (and striving for a righty-lefty balance), only for the group that cemented themselves as the top four options all to shoot left, thus relegating the two right handed summer additions to the third pair. 

That wouldn’t preclude the Sabres from seeking another righty in a deadline trade, but if the goal is for that player to rotate with Kesselring and Timmins, a lefty is probably the preferable option. 

Stanley would fit that bill, especially if their goal is to add a heavier player, as would Jamie Oleksiak. Other lefties who could be worth consideration: Dmitry Orlov and Brenden Dillon. Both have term beyond this season in addition to trade protection. I also fear that father time could be catching up to the pair who were previously strong analytical players. Dillon’s edge makes me think he has the type of profile the Sabres would be seeking. If handedness isn’t an issue, blog favorite Zach Whitecloud is said to be available, though he also has term on his contract. His Flames teammate Brayden Pachal has carved out surprisingly good underlying numbers on a middling roster and Nick Blankenburg has been mentioned by Chad DeDominicis. 

More targets could come available if the next week sees any teams fall out of their respective races. 

What choice is made up front will be fascinating. Is Jack Quinn’s spot in flux? Is a center capable of eating matchups and winning faceoffs more valuable than a winger? Does a top six acquisition keep Peyton Krbes in the bottom six? I’ve wanted to see Jared McCann in a Sabres jersey for years. He’s long been a play driver with good offensive numbers. He’s pacing for 20 goals once again this year and he’d make an excellent addition to the middle of the lineup. I’ll admit to having tunnel vision when it comes to McCann (in spite of his trade protection) but there are plenty worthy names floating around trade boards. Vincent Trocheck would help resolve Buffalo’s faceoff issues, Warren Foegele would be a reclamation project but that could also mean a lower acquisition cost. Boone Jenner has the connections to the GM while Robert Thomas is more of a summer target but is representative of a team that is Going For It. And someone who can solidify Buffalo’s matchup options and strengthen the bottom six would be a valuable addition.

The countdown is on for Kekäläinen. The deadline is a week from Friday, his roster is getting healthy and they’re in the thick of a playoff race. He’s bided his time thus far but now is the time to strike.

Jarmo Kekäläinen Marks A Merciful End to the Adams Era

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The Kevyn Adams era came to a much anticipated end on Monday when the Buffalo Sabres relieved him of his duties as general manager and named Jarmo Kekäläinen as his replacement. 

Adams’ tenure should have ended at least eight months earlier, though a case could be made that he shouldn’t have seen the summer of 2024, either. Regardless, the Sabres finally moved on from their deeply unpopular GM in favor of a candidate whose resume is probably the strongest the Sabres have had at the position since (minimally) Darcy Regier. Adams’ lack of experience became a major talking point as the Sabres floundered, particularly over the last two seasons as the team languished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. 

Continue reading →

An Uncanny and Unusual String of Ailments Threatens to Derail Buffalo’s Season

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The Sabres needed a lot of things to go right in order to make the playoffs this season. Reliable goaltending. A competent power play. Stouter defense thanks to offseason additions. And, a healthy lineup. 

Buffalo’s health issues started in training camp, keeping the likes of Zach Benson and Michael Kesselring out of the lineup to open the season. It took about 50 minutes of game one for Josh Norris to wind up on the shelf with a long-term and Justin Danforth went down shortly after. Now, the team is managing the absence of four key forwards and a leave of absence of their captain and best player. 

Continue reading →