The Buffalo Sabres are preparing for the new NHL season with an aim to turn around their offensive slump from last year. In order to end a 13-year absence from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they have brought in some new forwards and placed more emphasis on structure and responsibility. The team has three major questions regarding its roster and on-ice performance as the season nears. If you want a breakdown of the Sabres’ journey, keep an eye out for daily top sports free picks!
Are the Changes Enough to Spur a Turnaround?
Lindy Ruff was brought in to instill accountability and structure after a disappointing season for the Sabres. There have also been changes made by General Manager Kevyn Adams to the bottom six forwards. Ryan McLeod, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers, is expected to be the third-line center. The team’s depth and penalty kill will benefit from McLeod’s speed which ranks in the 97th percentile.
The Sabres also added Beck Malenstyn from the Washington Capitals while free agents Sam Lafferty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel were signed as well. These players are fast, physical, and forecheck with no relent — making them harder opponents for other teams. To further strengthen their lineup, they include versatile forward Jason Zucker among others as part of their strategy that addresses more grit as well as stability needed for playoffs ending droughts within Buffalo.
Can the Offense Bounce Back?
The Sabres ranked 23rd in the NHL in goals scored last season, a significant drop from their third-place finish in 2022-23. Career-high stats dropped for key players like Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Dylan Cozens. The buyout of Jeff Skinner (24 goals) created a considerable offensive hole.
Buffalo’s power play was a mess, finishing 29th in efficiency and 30th in power-play goals. Seth Appert was promoted to assistant coach and will oversee the unit after running it with Rochester in the AHL — where the power play has consistently been above 20 percent — during his tenure as head coach there. So maybe that means something.
General manager Kevyn Adams is convinced the solution to the offense is already on this roster, expecting Thompson, Tuch and Cozens to bounce back while JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn continue growing. Peterka had a breakout year with 28 goals while Quinn showed promise despite an injury-shortened season. Adams stressed sharper, more consistent and competitive play are needed to revive that offense.
Can Samuelsson and Quinn Stay Healthy?
Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and forward Jack Quinn have struggled with injuries. After suffering an upper-body injury in January, Samuelsson’s season was cut short. He had missed time the previous year due to a lower body injury. This left the team without one of their top two defensemen, leading to increased pressure on Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.
After an impressive rookie season, Quinn injured his Achilles during offseason training and missed the first 32 games of this season. Even though he had another injury later in the year, he still managed to tally 19 points in 27 games played. Staying healthy is very important for both the Sabres’ forward group as well as Quinn’s own development.
The Sabres have added some depth on defense but need a healthy Samuelsson if they hope to succeed. Conversely, a fit and developing Quinn will go a long way toward helping the team’s forwards find chemistry with each other.
Looking Ahead
The Buffalo Sabres are heading into the new season with three main things on their mind: how well did they change their roster, how can they get their offense back to where it was and will the players stay healthy? They brought in some forwards who are supposed to add toughness and depth while hoping that other players develop internally so that we can see more scoring from them again. Keeping Samuelsson and Quinn healthy is going to be huge for us this year. All eyes will be on the Sabres as they attempt to become a harder, more competitive team that ends its playoff drought and makes some noise during NHL action this winter. If you want to get involved in all of this fun, check out top rated online sportsbooks!
