Will Sabres Make the Playoffs In 2022-23?

[Curt]

38 minutes ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Sabres are definitely better than last year, but I look at it like this:

Is Buffalo better than Tampa and Florida?  Nope.  

Better than Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa?  Probably not. 

Better than Boston or Detroit.  Yes.  

Sabres might play together as a team better than Montreal, Toronto, or Ottawa does, but there are still a lot of question marks with every team in this division outside the state of Florida…

I don’t understand those team groupings.

Is Buffalo better than Toronto, Tampa and Florida?  Nope.  

Better than Montreal?  Almost definitely. 

Better than Ottawa, Boston or Detroit.  Maybe.  

 

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

No one has mentioned Granato.  His coaching is most critical.  

 

No doubt that key players are more mature, and the talent is much better than the start of last year. 

Can DG elevate them another step and do they collectively has the mental toughness to be better?   

Better goaltending, no more massive losing streaks, win the games that they are leading in the 3rd period, have fun and play with energy and passion.   Do these things over last year and you can add 20 points to the record.  

Unfortunately, they need 23, not just 20, to reach what's been the NHL 0.600 playoff lock.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Sabres are definitely better than last year, but I look at it like this:

Is Buffalo better than Tampa and Florida?  Nope.  

Better than Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa?  Probably not. 

Better than Boston or Detroit.  Yes.  

Sabres might play together as a team better than Montreal, Toronto, or Ottawa does, but there are still a lot of question marks with every team in this division outside the state of Florida…

Huh?   They should be better than Montreal, and maybe Ottawa. Maybe Detroit.  Probably not Boston.   

[Cityo'Rasmii]

And better than CBJ

[SwampD]

1 hour ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Sabres are definitely better than last year, but I look at it like this:

Is Buffalo better than Tampa and Florida?  Nope.  

Better than Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa?  Probably not. 

Better than Boston or Detroit.  Yes.  

Sabres might play together as a team better than Montreal, Toronto, or Ottawa does, but there are still a lot of question marks with every team in this division outside the state of Florida…

Aren’t there 8 other teams to worry about, as well?

[French Collection]

It will be a tough road but the Sabres are better and will be in the hunt. I think they fall short unless they avoid injuries and the goaltending  is above average.

I believe a lot of the non playoff teams have gotten better, which will erode points from the top teams. I don’t see the wide disparity in points like last season. Eight 100 point teams is unlikely, Boston and Washington will drop the most but Tampa is weaker and I feel Florida will drop a few points.

[Norcal]

I don't neccesarily expect them to make the playoffs but I think they'll be in the conversation throughout the year at different points and could surprise and slip in to the postseason. 

2024 they will definitely make the playoffs.

2025 they'll contend for the cup!

 

[bob_sauve28]

5 minutes ago, Norcal said:

I don't neccesarily expect them to make the playoffs but I think they'll be in the conversation throughout the year at different points and could surprise and slip in to the postseason. 

2024 they will definitely make the playoffs.

2025 they'll contend for the cup!

 

And in 2026 Isak Rosen will score the cup clinching OT winner against Edmonton 

[Norcal]

5 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

And in 2026 Isak Rosen will score the cup clinching OT winner against Edmonton 

He may

[Sabres Fan in NS]

33 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

And in 2026 Isak Rosen will score the cup clinching OT winner against Edmonton 

After he is traded at the deadline to ?????

[bob_sauve28]

7 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

After he is traded at the deadline to ?????

To....Toronto, but since they are still using an old fax machine the trade does not go through and 40 goal scorer Rosen stays with Sabres and leads them to their first cup win!!

[pi2000]

They'll be better simply due to the young players developing and gaining experience.

Do they make the playoffs?   No.

At best a 10 point improvement (mid 80's).

[Thorner]

4 hours ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Sabres are definitely better than last year, but I look at it like this:

Is Buffalo better than Tampa and Florida?  Nope.  

Better than Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa?  Probably not. 

Better than Boston or Detroit.  Yes.  

Sabres might play together as a team better than Montreal, Toronto, or Ottawa does, but there are still a lot of question marks with every team in this division outside the state of Florida…

Toronto oddly placed here, playoffs failures be damned 

1 hour ago, Norcal said:

I don't neccesarily expect them to make the playoffs but I think they'll be in the conversation throughout the year at different points and could surprise and slip in to the postseason. 

2024 they will definitely make the playoffs.

2025 they'll contend for the cup!

 

I’ve mentioned this before but it’s really very quite common for young developing teams that ARE on track to have an “early arrival” year, followed by a step back year. 

The more I think about it, the more I’m tempted to expect something like that with Buffalo. 

As with players, it’s rare to see a consistent upwards trajectory. I’d caution anyone that expects smooth upward sailing once we finally do make it. 

By the same token, the idea they could surprise early fed into me going out on a limb and predicting playoffs THIS season 

Edited August 22, 2022 by Thorny

[bob_sauve28]

Just an addendum 

 

Watching our awesome prospects should give added motivation to the players already on team. They are on notice that the youngins are after their jobs. Players like Casey and Asplund know they gotta show they belong or they might lose their jobs one of these days 

[Zamboni]

Just picked up my tickets for the season. It’s been too long since the last time I had physical tickets for games. Feels good. Hopefully playoff tickets too. 

I am selling some games at cost, if anyone is interested. PM me.

[GASabresIUFAN]

The East is a very interesting mix of teams.  You have the old guard still at a high level in Pitt, Wash, and Bos.  You have 4 teams in their prime in TB, Tor, Car, and Fla ( all have been in the playoffs each of the last 3-6 years straight).  One new guard team in the NYR.

Then you have 3 teams in each division fighting to make the playoffs in the NYI, NJ, CBJ, Buf, Det and Ott.  Each of these teams has an argument that they will be the team knocking on the playoff door this year.  The NYI were a playoff team recently, have great goaltending and some stars up front.  NJ argues that their young roster is about to explode (in a good way).  Columbus says they scored 260+ last year, they added Johnny Hockey upfront and added Gudbranson and Jiricek to help the D.  Ott added goaltending and big name forwards to a solid young core. Det added goaltending and filled holes with proven vets to add to another young group.  Buffalo is building on a great young core featuring two No. 1 overall D and can roll 4 lines.  

I find all these arguments reasonable and that should make for a really interesting season.  If I have to rank the teams on most likely to take the next step, I'd have Ott (1), CBJ (2), NYI (3), Buffalo (4), Det (5) and NJ (6).   The funny thing is which of these 6 teams gets the best goaltending probably wins this argument.  On paper we have the worst goaltending of the six, although I don't really trust the tandem in Columbus or NJ either.  The NYI have by far the best tandem in Sorokin and Varlamov, followed by Ott with Forsberg and Talbot.  However, goaltending alone won't get the NYI to the playoffs.

Of this group I really like our chances if Comrie plays 50 games at near Ullmark level goaltending. 

[Doohicksie]

On 8/22/2022 at 9:39 AM, Curt said:

I don’t understand those team groupings.

Is Buffalo better than Toronto, Tampa and Florida?  Nope.  

Better than Montreal?  Almost definitely. 

Better than Ottawa, Boston or Detroit.  Maybe. 

This looks about right.  I think by the mid point of the season Boston will be swirling down the drain and looking at a rebuild.  Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit will all be in a tight pack but I see the Sabres pulling away from that pack (as they did last season, edging out Detroit at the end).  Whether Buffalo makes it into the playoffs is about a 40% chance but I'm not saying which side the 40% is 😉

[Doohicksie]

On 8/22/2022 at 11:35 AM, Norcal said:

I don't neccesarily expect them to make the playoffs but I think they'll be in the conversation throughout the year at different points and could surprise and slip in to the postseason. 

2024 they will definitely make the playoffs.

2025 they'll contend for the cup!

And by then VGK will be in the 4th year of their playoff drought and TO will still not have won a playoff series since the lockout.  😄

 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Just an addendum 

 

Watching our awesome prospects should give added motivation to the players already on team. They are on notice that the youngins are after their jobs. Players like Casey and Asplund know they gotta show they belong or they might lose their jobs one of these days 

I think it will change the attitude of the club.  Until the emergence of Tage last year, we'd become used to homegrown prospects missing.  From here forward I think that we will see some misses but as you say there will be hungry prospects coming up to replace them.  Trade Casey at the deadline for draft assets?  Sure, because Kulich will be ready to step up!

[bob_sauve28]

39 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The East is a very interesting mix of teams.  You have the old guard still at a high level in Pitt, Wash, and Bos.  You have 4 teams in their prime in TB, Tor, Car, and Fla ( all have been in the playoffs each of the last 3-6 years straight).  One new guard team in the NYR.

Then you have 3 teams in each division fighting to make the playoffs in the NYI, NJ, CBJ, Buf, Det and Ott.  Each of these teams has an argument that they will be the team knocking on the playoff door this year.  The NYI were a playoff team recently, have great goaltending and some stars up front.  NJ argues that their young roster is about to explode (in a good way).  Columbus says they scored 260+ last year, they added Johnny Hockey upfront and added Gudbranson and Jiricek to help the D.  Ott added goaltending and big name forwards to a solid young core. Det added goaltending and filled holes with proven vets to add to another young group.  Buffalo is building on a great young core featuring two No. 1 overall D and can roll 4 lines.  

I find all these arguments reasonable and that should make for a really interesting season.  If I have to rank the teams on most likely to take the next step, I'd have Ott (1), CBJ (2), NYI (3), Buffalo (4), Det (5) and NJ (6).   The funny thing is which of these 6 teams gets the best goaltending probably wins this argument.  On paper we have the worst goaltending of the six, although I don't really trust the tandem in Columbus or NJ either.  The NYI have by far the best tandem in Sorokin and Varlamov, followed by Ott with Forsberg and Talbot.  However, goaltending alone won't get the NYI to the playoffs.

Of this group I really like our chances if Comrie plays 50 games at near Ullmark level goaltending. 

Just hoping our goaltending is good enough and we have three scoring lines that puts in a boatload of goals. Heres hoping anyway! 

[Norcal]

41 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

And by then VGK will be in the 4th year of their playoff drought and TO will still not have won a playoff series since the lockout.  😄

 

Well said and I, for one, cannot wait to watch it all unfold.

The rise will be so sweet because of where they have risen from. 

[Doohicksie]

12 minutes ago, Norcal said:

The rise will be so sweet because of where they have risen from. 

Hoping for a trajectory similar to what we've seen with the Bills.

[Norcal]

4 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Hoping for a trajectory similar to what we've seen with the Bills.

That would be delicious

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Just hoping our goaltending is good enough and we have three scoring lines that puts in a boatload of goals. Heres hoping anyway! 

I’m not worried about scoring.  To much talent in a offense oriented system to not score.  I think 260+ is very reasonable for this group.  That said, CBJ scored 260+ and easily missed the playoffs (only 81 pts) because of poor D and mediocre goaltending that allowed 300 goals against.  They were a -38 in goal differential.  

My floor for the Sabres this season is a CBJ 2022 type season where we score 260-265, but still give up 280 to 290 goals and finish in the low 80’s in points.

My best case for the Sabres is that they score 265+, Comrie comes through with Ullmark level goaltending or better and the team gets to a 0 in goal differential pressing Boston for the 4th slot in the Altantic.

I believe their is a very real chance that 2 of the old guard, Wash & Bos, take a step back and open the door for 2 of Ott, Buffalo, CBJ and the NYI.

[Thorner]

11 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The East is a very interesting mix of teams.  You have the old guard still at a high level in Pitt, Wash, and Bos.  You have 4 teams in their prime in TB, Tor, Car, and Fla ( all have been in the playoffs each of the last 3-6 years straight).  One new guard team in the NYR.

Then you have 3 teams in each division fighting to make the playoffs in the NYI, NJ, CBJ, Buf, Det and Ott.  Each of these teams has an argument that they will be the team knocking on the playoff door this year.  The NYI were a playoff team recently, have great goaltending and some stars up front.  NJ argues that their young roster is about to explode (in a good way).  Columbus says they scored 260+ last year, they added Johnny Hockey upfront and added Gudbranson and Jiricek to help the D.  Ott added goaltending and big name forwards to a solid young core. Det added goaltending and filled holes with proven vets to add to another young group.  Buffalo is building on a great young core featuring two No. 1 overall D and can roll 4 lines.  

I find all these arguments reasonable and that should make for a really interesting season.  If I have to rank the teams on most likely to take the next step, I'd have Ott (1), CBJ (2), NYI (3), Buffalo (4), Det (5) and NJ (6).   The funny thing is which of these 6 teams gets the best goaltending probably wins this argument.  On paper we have the worst goaltending of the six, although I don't really trust the tandem in Columbus or NJ either.  The NYI have by far the best tandem in Sorokin and Varlamov, followed by Ott with Forsberg and Talbot.  However, goaltending alone won't get the NYI to the playoffs.

Of this group I really like our chances if Comrie plays 50 games at near Ullmark level goaltending. 

So you have them ~12th?