Buffalo Sabres Offseason did they do enough to make the playoffs?

Buffalo Sabres Offseason did they do enough to make the playoffs?

Did the Buffalo Sabres actually do enough to make it to the playoffs this upcoming season? [Music] What’s up everybody and welcome back to another episode of Sports Talk Buffalo. If you are new here, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell so you guys never miss a video. We are well into the NHL off season as the draft has concluded and NHL free agency is now more than a week into the books and things have begun to settle down in the NHL as we approach the dog days of the off season. So just what have the Buffalo Sabres done so far? Well, let’s start with free agency. The free agent signings aren’t many. Realistically, the Buffalo Sabres going outside the organization signed a couple of free agents, but there’s really only one notable free agent in my opinion, and that is backup goalender Alex Lion. 32 years old, coming off of two pretty solid seasons in Detroit. two seasons ago, he went on a very good run to help Detroit make it to the playoffs. And last season, he had a decent season. I mean, his save percentage is still not great, but his wins and losses is still pretty solid. He as he won four, he went 149 and one with an 896 save percentage. Again, coming from Detroit, I think this is a great signing and I think this is actually going to push Lucinin for starts in the NHL. This is a very solid, I guess, backup plan. If Lucin starts to struggle, look for Alex Lion to start to get more and more games, especially if he is playing well. Lindy Ruff is not afraid to ride the hot hand in terms of goalending. And as you know, last year goalending was mostly bad for the Buffalo Sabres. So again, good signing in free agency to get a quality backup goalender for UPL. And now, honestly, we got to move right on to the trades because that’s pretty much all the Buffalo Sabres did outside of, you know, a couple AHL signings and maybe a bottom six signing in free agency. There really wasn’t much to report on. So, now we go to the trades, and there was a couple of trades, but there were two big trades, in my opinion, to note for the Buffalo Sabres that could potentially help them going into this season. The first of course being the Buffalo Sabres sending defenseman Connor Clifton and a TW and the second round pick in this past draft to the Penguins in exchange for defenseman Connor Timonss and defenseman Isaac Bolivier. Bolivier is pretty much an AHL defenseman so far in his career. Hasn’t really made the leap. However, Connor Timmons is a very solid defenseman who is starting to come into his own in my in my opinion. Uh he played 68 games last season. He had three goals, 12 assists, 15 points, and he had really solid underlying numbers. So realistically when you look between if you’re looking at analytic analytically re you know Connor Timmons is much better than was Conor Clifton and I think provided he’s able to stay healthy and give you he’s got to give you more than 68 games we got to be in that 75 game range for him to in my opinion really make a difference if he can play into that 75 game range and really stay healthy. and really be a contributor like we saw him do last season. I think the Sabres got themselves an upgrade over Conor Clifton on their third pair. He is also cheaper, which does give the Sabres a little bit more leeway in terms of signing free agents, which we just talked about they did not do. However, again, they did have a little bit of um cap space if somebody were to offer sheet bow and broom, which was a rumor for a while. Not really a rumor on the table that I’m seeing anymore. However, the Sabres did have that cap space to use if it was necessary for them to do so. Now, the second and of course biggest trade for the Buffalo Sabres this off season is that they sent stud left winger JJ Purka who was a restricted free agent to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for right-hand defenseman Michael Kessler Ring and center/rightwing Josh Don. Now, Buffalo has been reported pretty much all of last season to want to fill out their top four and were willing to give up some pieces to try to get that top four filled to help out Owen Power on the back end. They wanted a quality right-hand defenseman, and as you know, those are in short supply in the NHL. A reliable right-handed top four defenseman. something the Sabres wanted and they got. However, I think they paid dearly to get it, right? So, they also did get um Josh Jones in this deal. But let’s talk about Kessle Ring first. He does fit the bill of what the Buffalo Sabres want. He is a big kid, 6’5, 215 lbs. He is a two-way defenseman. And like Timonss, this young man is really starting to come into his own. He played all 82 games last season when recording a careerhigh in uh goals uh assists and points. He had seven goals, 22 assists for 29 points. Uh Keler Ring also showed that he isn’t afraid to drop the gloves when needed. He did have a fight last season against the Buffalo Sabres and Beck Menstein. He also had four other fights last season. Something that the Sabres really need to do. They want to get they want to get harder to play against and it’s not just fighting. It it it’s an all-encompassing type thing and the Sabres really need guys that are harder to play against and I do think Kessle Ring does fit that bill. Big defenseman can skate. He’s long. He needs to f I feel like he needs to fill out a little bit more, but I don’t think he’s gonna fill out anymore. He’s I think he’s 26 years old, but maybe get a little bit stronger. However, again, put him in a bigger role. I think he averaged 16 17 1/2 minutes of ice time last year in Utah. Will he be better or worse with the additional 3 to 3 and 1/2 minutes of ice time that he is likely to get per night with the Buffalo Sabres? Time will tell. Also involved in that deal was of course young rightwing Josh Don. He is a very solid from what I’ve seen. Very, very solid bottom six forward with the potential, if you look at what he was able to do in the lower levels with the potential to maybe develop into a top six forward for the Buffalo Sabres. He’s big, he skates fast, he’s not afraid to go to the dirty areas. He doesn’t mind going in front of the net and and making that his home. very solid two-way forward for the Buffalo Sabres. Just 23 years old heading into just his second full season in the NHL. He posted 19 points in 51 games, seven goals and 12 assists. That would put him on about a 30point pace if he were to play all 82 games um for the next season for the Buffalo Sabres. That’s really not bad. It’s really solid for your bottom six. Again, I think this young man has potential to maybe jump into that middle six role, that second, third line role, depending on how he continues to develop. Now, realistically, we asked the question earlier, are the Buffalo or did the Buffalo Sabres do enough to make it to the playoffs and end that 14 season playoffless streak? and they have a revamped defense. They have a quality backup goalender. They had some additions to their bottom six. Um, but is it enough to get them to the playoffs? In my opinion, realistically, I don’t think so. I don’t think that is enough to get the Sabres to where they want to be. They were 12 points out last season, and their offense is arguably worse this season. getting rid of your second best scorer in JJ Purka, but their defense is arguably better bringing in guys like Kessle Ring and Timonss on the back end. So, is it a wash? I mean, I’m not really sure. I’m not sure how the Sabres want to play and going forward. However, in my opinion, the Sabres need a lot of things to go right for them to be a potential bubble team to be fighting for one of those wildcard playoff spots. We need Tage Thompson to do Tage Thompson things. We need Alex Tuck to do Alex Tuck things. And we need some of the younger guys to find their scoring touch. I think this is the season where we really see what Zack Benson could potentially be all about. he really needs to take that next step. Same thing with Jack Quinn. They’re really banking on these guys to take large leaps forward in their development and be big- time contributors for the Buffalo Sabres. How it’s going to work out, I’m not sure. Hadn’t really worked out um so far for the Buffalo Sabres. But let me know what you guys think in the comments section below. Did the Sabres do enough? I mean, they shared up their back end, but they created a hole on their front end. So, I mean, I guess it really just depends on what they were looking for this off season. I don’t necessarily think they did enough. Once again, let me know what you guys think in the comments section below. That’s going to do it for this video, guys. I want to remind you guys to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell so you guys never miss a video. I talk Bill Sabres and the University at Buffalo and the University at Buffalo B men’s basketball and football teams right here on this page. Um, I want to thank you guys all for watching and as always, have a fantastic week.

The Buffalo Sabres made some more changes this offseason but is it enough to help get them back into the playoffs?

Sports Talk Buffalo Emails: Sportstalkbuffalo@gmail.com or Sportstalkbuffalo@yahoo.com
Tee Spring Links
Sabres:
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/lets-go-buffalo
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/ukkie-pookie
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/buy-warpath

Buffalo Bills:
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/new-just-wrong
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/where-else-716

University at Buffalo:
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/get-these-horns-2
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/buffalo-horns-up
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/get-these-horns
https://sports-talk-buffalo.creator-spring.com/listing/hornsup-basketball