The Hockey News

'Second, we did not see Ralph Krueger coming. Months after he was hired as GM of the Sabres, Murray fired Ted Nolan and replaced him with Dan Bylsma. Didn’t work. When Jason Botterill became GM of the Sabres, he fired Bylsma and replaced him with Phil Housley. Really didn’t work. The funny thing is that both hirings seemed like pretty good ideas at the time.' … [Read more...] about The Sabres will (maybe, possibly, probably not) win the Stanley Cup in 2020, just like we predicted

'The true tests are on the way for the Sabres. In November, Buffalo will square off against the Tampa Bay Lightning three times, Toronto Maple Leafs twice and have dates with each of the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames, all of whom are among the NHL’s heavyweights. Can Hutton realistically stay this hot? To do so, he’ll have to buck some of his own career … [Read more...] about The Sabres are finally getting the goaltending they need in Carter Hutton, but will it last?

'True, a cursory glance at NaturalStatTrick suggests some of the same good puck-luck fortune is benefitting Buffalo in the early going. Through six games, an admittedly tiny sample, the Sabres rank 13th in the NHL with a 9.8 shooting percentage at 5-on-5 and a five-a-side SP of .956, second in the league. The result is a 105.4 PDO, the third-highest mark in the NHL. But Buffalo … [Read more...] about After last season’s collapse, is there any reason to believe this season’s Sabres are the real deal?

'To the Sabres credit, though, those are the kind of mistakes they are willing to live with from a 19-year-old phenom defenseman. When the Sabres purged their coaching staff after last season, they decided to keep Steve Smith on as an assistant coach under Ralph Krueger. Smith runs the defense and Dahlin was happy he was kept on. “You can make a mistake and coaches say, ‘Get in … [Read more...] about For now, the Sabres are willing to live with Dahlin’s mistakes in exchange for his brilliant offensive play

'Spending additional time overseas was likely always going to be the path for Olofsson, of course. Seventh-round picks aren’t expected to make immediate jumps to the NHL. But the wise move the Sabres made was allowing him to improve back home before bringing him over. Playing against men while still a junior-aged player helped, just as it helps many of the top-tier European … [Read more...] about Sabres winger Victor Olofsson is showing why patience pays off

'Difficult as it might be to imagine at the moment, the Sabres’ five-year timeline gives Buffalo something of a logjam down the middle. Jack Eichel, who will be right in the thick of his prime come the 2023-24 season, is the no-doubt No. 1 center, but who takes the second-line center spot is anyone’s guess after that.' … [Read more...] about Five-year forecast: Your 2023-24 Buffalo Sabres

'Buffalo has more than $5 million in cap wiggle room today, making next summer – when the team has 10 UFAs and three RFAs (in this case, all big-money signings) – extra important. The Sabres won’t have a reason to bring back expensive defenders Zach Bogosian and Marco Scandella with some of the young blueliners they have in the system, especially with both nearing 30. Buffalo … [Read more...] about Expansion plan: Projecting the Buffalo Sabres’ protection list for the 2021 expansion draft

'So which teams make for intriguing trade partners? These three come to mind...'. … [Read more...] about It’s time for Buffalo to trade Rasmus Ristolainen. Where?

' Jokiharju was solid with Chicago prior to the World Junior Championship over the winter, but was sent down to Rockford afterwards to get further seasoning. However, the Blackhawks’ acquisitions of Olli Maatta and Calvin de Haan meant Jokiharju wasn’t guaranteed a spot with the big club. He now has the opportunity to step into a spot on a Sabres team that’s still rebuilding … [Read more...] about Blackhawks send Jokiharju to Sabres for Nylander in surprising prospect swap

'Landing a secondary scorer had to be a priority for the Sabres, who scored 226 goals last season, the second-fewest in the Eastern Conference. Johansson fits the bill. And if he can find chemistry alongside Casey Mittelstadt, for whom Buffalo has second-line center hopes, Johansson will help the Sabres have a top-six that can rely on output from more than Jack Eichel and Jeff … [Read more...] about Sabres add scoring mojo, sign Johansson to two-year, $9-million deal

'And further to that point, Skinner’s $9-million cap hit doesn’t stand to put Buffalo in a bind anytime soon. At present, the Sabres have an additional $28-million set to come off the books ahead of next season, and while a few players – Reinhart, Casey Mittelstadt and Brandon Montour – will need extensions next summer, there’s more than enough money to go around.' … [Read more...] about Why spending big bucks to keep Jeff Skinner was worth it for the Sabres

'And it’s that kind of thinking that is going to ultimately get the Sabres out of this rut in which they find themselves. This is not a case of Jason Botterill making like he’s smarter than everybody else. This is a young man who is clearly comfortable making unconventional choices, one who has enough confidence in himself that he’s prepared to make a move that he knows will be … [Read more...] about Sabres GM Jason Botterill puts his job on the line with out-of-the-box hiring of Ralph Krueger…and that’s a good thing

'The Toronto Maple Leafs intend on keeping Mike Babcock around. Thus, after a couple fantastic seasons with the Marlies, with whom he won the AHL’s Calder Cup in 2018, it’s time for Keefe to get a serious look at an NHL job. Keefe, the winner of the 2015 CHL top coach award, has done wonders for the Marlies in his short time in the AHL and any team looking for a fresh face with … [Read more...] about With Gronborg gone, which coaches should the Oilers, Senators, Ducks and Sabres chase?

'The Sabres’ willingness to give Dahlin important minutes while allowing him to make mistakes is what has given him the opportunity to make such an impact as an 18-year-old.' … [Read more...] about Dahlin passes Orr, marking major milestone in 18-year-old Sabres rookie’s superb season

'But the reality is that Housley, for whatever faults he may have, has done some good this season. The Sabres are a middle of the road team when it comes to most possession metrics. Buffalo has shown continued improvement in those areas under Housley, and that’s one of the few positives the Sabres have seen this season. So, while he may not be the answer, it would seem he’s not … [Read more...] about Unbelievable scoring drought highlights Sabres’ shortcomings in yet another lost season