There are signs of light at the end of the tunnel for the Buffalo Sabres in their quest to become a playoff contender.
If you’re the Sabres, every accomplishment needs to be celebrated. Going into the Christmas break, the Western New York-based team flew home Tuesday evening from Ottawa on a high note. The 3–2 overtime win, their 18th victory in the season’s first 36 games, allows the NHL’s youngest team to remain positive during the holiday season.
Next up is division rival Boston Bruins on Saturday, a home game at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center. A home rink victory could lift the Sabres into sixth place. This is a baby step that Buffalo’s coach Lindy Ruff and the team’s fan base need to embrace.
The team has missed Stanley Cup playoff participation for a record 14 consecutive seasons, and 16 times since the 2005–2006 season, coincidentally with Ruff behind the bench. However, Buffalo hasn’t failed to skate beyond the regular season due to a lack of effort. Sabres owner Terry Pegula, who purchased the franchise in 2011 and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in 2014, allowed then-team General Manager Kevyn Adams to have a free hand in attempts to build a contending unit.
After five and a half years on the job, and little progress to show for his efforts in forming rosters, Pegula fired Adams.
This past May, the Sabres hired former Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen in a senior advisor role. After accepting the general manager’s position, Kekalainen earlier this week added veteran leadership to his front office staff. Josh Flynn, named assistant general manager, has a history with Kekalainen, having worked on his staff in Columbus.
Marc Bergevin, now the associate general manager of the Sabres, previously was the Montreal Canadiens’ general manager, and in recent years has been an adviser with the Los Angeles Kings.
Ruff is working on the final season of his contract, and whether he is replaced during the season, or doesn’t conclude a new deal offered this spring, changes are in the wind in Buffalo. There are 46 regular-season games to play for the Sabres, roughly half of a season remaining. Currently 18–14–4, the good news is, Buffalo is within three points of third place in their division.
Given that 16 teams qualify for the playoffs, or half of all NHL franchises, not making the playoffs would be a head-scratcher for sure. But, there are signs that the team is trending in a positive direction.
While the Sabres are 15th in the league on the power play, they are doing much better on the penalty kill, coming in second place.
Tuesday’s win over Ottawa saw Sabres’ netminder Alex Lyon playing in his 20th game of the season. He faced 26 shots on goal, and allowed just two to get past him. Bowen Byram netted his 7th and 8th goals on the season, including the winner just 31 seconds into the overtime period.
For Pegula and his new general manager Kekalainen, fielding a winning team is essential for the franchise’s overall success. Last season, Buffalo finished 27th in attendance among NHL teams. Currently, the Sabres slide into the 24th position in attendance, averaging 16,714 fans at home games.
Seth Appert, currently an assistant coach, is viewed as the Sabres’ likely next head coach. After serving a four-year apprenticeship as the head coach for Buffalo’s American Hockey League affiliate Rochester (N.Y.) Americans, followed by the past two NHL seasons as an assistant coach with Buffalo, Appert may well be the team’s coach-in-waiting. The Sabres’ Byram, Owen Power, and team captain Rasmus Dahlin offer a solid core on defense to rely on for seasons to come, while Devon Levi and Lyon give Buffalo a solid goalie twosome for the future.
The Sabres are a proud organization dating back to their inaugural season of 1970–1971. Great names of the team’s past—Gil Perrault, Rick Martin, and Rene Robert—built a strong, respectable foundation for those who would wear a Sabres’ sweater in future years.
It now appears that finishing 29th in defense among all 32 NHL teams last season will no longer be tolerated. Not being ranked higher than fifth place in their division over the past five seasons is a thing of the past, as signaled by the hiring of Kekalainen as general manager. Pegula wants a winning return on his investment for Western New York hockey fans.
Anything less than securing a playoff spot come April for the Sabres, to avoid a 15th consecutive season of being shut out of chasing the Stanley Cup, will be seen as an epic failure. Buffalo’s future is now, with or without the team’s current popular head coach.
