Jiri Kulich

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

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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. 

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Five Things to Watch in the Stretch Run

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By the end of this weekend, the Sabres will only have 30 games left to play meaning by the time they wrap up with the Devils on Sunday, they’ll be firmly in the stretch run. 

The season went up in flames weeks ago, ending any realistic hope of ending Buffalo’s playoff drought. While an Andrew Hammond-esque miracle run could put the Sabres back into the playoff race, the reality is that these final 30 games will be little more than a formality as the club prepares for the offseason and the 2025-25 season. 

While the outcome of the games won’t matter much, there are still a few storylines worth tracking in the coming weeks and months as the Sabres inch closer to game 82. 

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The Instigator Podcast 11.14 – Sabres Status Report After 25 (Plus Three) Games

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The Sabres have played 28 games and it feels like a good time to take an assessment of their progress thus far. We talk about our choice for MVP, top rookie and breakout performer through the first portion of the year. We also touch on what’s been the most frustrating and disappointing aspects of the season to this point. Also on this week’s show: a discussion over the Bo Horvat and Jesse Puljujarvi trade speculation and a brief rundown of the potential Sabres attendees at the World Junior Championships. Plus some thoughts on Matt Savoie not receiving an invite to Team Canada’s camp.

The Instigator Podcast 11.2 – Sabres Enjoy Promising Prospect Challenge

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Sabres training camp is right around the corner, with their first preseason game fewer than five days away. The club wrapped up a 3-0 showing at the Prospects Challenge, driven mostly by the play of Matthew Savoie, Isak Rosen, Alexander Kisakov and Tyson Kozak. It was a strong showing for some of Buffalo’s most vital prospects, many of whom will be suiting up for Rochester this coming season.

We also discuss Nathan MacKinnon’s new contract in Colorado and the retirement announcements for Zdeno Chara and PK Subban.

You can catch The Instigator Podcast on these platforms any virtually everywhere else you find your podcasts:
iTunes
Spotify
Spreaker
Audacy
Stitcher
iHeartRadio
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Rapid Reactions to the Sabres 2022 Draft Picks

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The 2022 NHL Draft is in the books and the Sabres made all 11 picks they entered the draft with. Their trio of first rounders are the crown jewel of the Sabres 2022 class, but the latter rounds saw Kevyn Adams fill some thinner areas of the team’s pipeline.

I think there’s a lot to like about the Sabres picks and I’d like to offer up some instant reaction to all 11 selections the Sabres made. If you’re looking for more in-depth scouting reports on these guys, the likes of Kris Baker, Corey Pronman and Chris Peters will have you covered. These are just some quick, off the cuff thoughts on the players the Sabres have brought in.

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