Are the Sabres out of the running for the playoffs?

[Norcal]

No.

The year St. Louis most recently won the cup they were in last place at the start of the new year and ended up winning the cup. 

Sabres are still well within reach of the playoffs. 

Edited December 12, 2022 by Norcal

[Crusader1969]

2 points Canadians , 2 points Penguins, 2 points Rangers, not to mention 2 points Senators.  
unless the Sabres have a run of winning 9 or 10 games in 12, I wouldn’t even bother looking at the standings  

getting 0 points in 8 games, likely did the season in 

 

 

[Taro T]

7 hours ago, Norcal said:

No.

The year St. Louis most recently won the cup they were in last place at the start of the new year and ended up winning the cup. 

Sabres are still well within reach of the playoffs. 

Yes to the bolded.

But, though St. Louis was in last place, they'd played several fewer games than the other bottom feeders.  They weren't the absolute worst team in the league (even w/ Yeo at the helm).  Not saying the Sabres are in last nor close to it & as just stated believe they have a (slim) chance..  Just pointing out that stat about the Blues while true is misleading.

[Norcal]

11 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Yes to the bolded.

But, though St. Louis was in last place, they'd played several fewer games than the other bottom feeders.  They weren't the absolute worst team in the league (even w/ Yeo at the helm).  Not saying the Sabres are in last nor close to it & as just stated believe they have a (slim) chance..  Just pointing out that stat about the Blues while true is misleading.

Eh, I was winging it man.

I do think the boys have a chance though. 

[Porous Five Hole]

The Sabres have lost three of five so far in December. After Ottawa’s win tonight, Buffalo is last in the division.  
 

It is getting pretty tough to argue that they’re not out of it.  While it’s “only” eight points, it is also six teams to leap to get into wild card position.  
 

Unfortunately, it is looking bleak. 

[PerreaultForever]

Yup, dead last again, and everybody said that'd be Montreal. 

[Refuting]

Same problems persist that have persisted the last 12 years 

No defense 

No Goaltending 

No Toughness 

 

[Porous Five Hole]

4 minutes ago, Refuting said:

Same problems persist that have persisted the last 12 years 

No defense 

No Goaltending 

No Toughness 

 

Ok fine, but were you actually expecting a playoff team in 22-23?
The top four D is set and competent (and improving).  

The goaltending is unsettled, and Anderson’s pending exit gives KA another chance to get it right this off-season. Fingers crossed. 
 

It’s a lot easier to acquire toughness when the time is right then it is to acquire goals. It’s also cheaper. 
 

If you believe in the Cozens line, then let them blossom together all year. 
 

Long story short, it’s hard to address goalie (who was out there willing to sign in Buffalo anyway?), progress your top four young defensemen, and get tougher in one offseason.  
Setting a record for playoff-missing futility sucks, but there are reasons to be optimistic that next season is the return to playoff form. Here is to hoping. 

[SwampD]

I think they are out.

I kinda think they are in a seven game losing streak and just don’t know it yet.

God, I hope I am wrong.

[matter2003]

22 hours ago, SwampD said:

I think they are out.

I kinda think they are in a seven game losing streak and just don’t know it yet.

God, I hope I am wrong.

How did that age?

[nfreeman]

Now they need to win 2 out of their next 3 — Colorado, AZ and Vegas (and you-know-who is on IR currently and may not be back for the game).

@Taro T’s a hater, but he’s got no imagination.  My plan to get back to DeLuca .500 by New Year’s will work and the Sabres will be very much in the hunt.

 

[French Collection]

On 12/12/2022 at 2:32 PM, Norcal said:

No.

The year St. Louis most recently won the cup they were in last place at the start of the new year and ended up winning the cup. 

Sabres are still well within reach of the playoffs. 

The latest challenge for Tage. He knows that team and he surely followed their progress that year.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

We are 7 points out with 50 games to go. I do not care how many teams we have to jump, we are not out of it! Some solid goaltending and beating the teams in front of us will make up the difference. Although we cannot wait to trade deadline to make some additions. We need to add what we need now!

[SwampD]

10 hours ago, matter2003 said:

How did that age?

I was wrong. Thank God.

[dudacek]

10-4-2, 75 goals for, 48 goals against.

Sure makes you wonder how the Mattias Samuelsson effect continues to play out this season.

Edited December 14, 2022 by dudacek

[nfreeman]

16 minutes ago, dudacek said:

10-4-2, 75 goals for, 48 goals against.

Sure makes you wonder how the Mattias Samuelsson effect continues to play out this season.

Clearly Mule's presence/absence has a significant effect.

However, even with him in the lineup, the Sabres haven't done well against good teams, losing to:

Fla

NJ

TB

Colorado

Pittsburgh (twice)

OTOH, Edmonton is the only team currently in the playoffs that the Sabres have defeated with Mule in the lineup.

More than anything IMHO, if the Sabres are to make a push to get into the playoff picture, they need to start getting some wins against good teams.

[North Buffalo]

Colorado is hurting... good time to jump on them Thursday.

[French Collection]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbour?

[Huckleberry]

Read that there is some advanced stats site that gives us 66% of making the playoffs.  

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

Clearly Mule's presence/absence has a significant effect.

However, even with him in the lineup, the Sabres haven't done well against good teams, losing to:

Fla

NJ

TB

Colorado

Pittsburgh (twice)

OTOH, Edmonton is the only team currently in the playoffs that the Sabres have defeated with Mule in the lineup.

More than anything IMHO, if the Sabres are to make a push to get into the playoff picture, they need to start getting some wins against good teams.

The good news with those losses were that we were in every one of those games; so they are certainly growing. We just need to get over that proverbial hump. 

[Archie Lee]

Maybe the team is turning a corner defensively. Our last 3 games were against Pittsburgh and LA, teams in the top 10 in scoring. 6 goals against in regulation. 

[Pimlach]

On 12/12/2022 at 10:18 PM, Taro T said:

Yes to the bolded.

But, though St. Louis was in last place, they'd played several fewer games than the other bottom feeders.  They weren't the absolute worst team in the league (even w/ Yeo at the helm).  Not saying the Sabres are in last nor close to it & as just stated believe they have a (slim) chance..  Just pointing out that stat about the Blues while true is misleading.

And the Blues were a veteran team with a deep roster  lots of playoff experience.  They also found Binington who played the best hockey of his life that season.  

[mjd1001]

The Sabres have a positive goal differential, yet a losing record. From the far-away big picture it is not they are playing bad, but they might be the most incosistent team:

-They are 3w 9L in 1 and 2 goal games.  10w and 5L in 3+ goal games.  That is a big difference. Not only that, but no other team has a greater percentage of all of their wins happen in 3+ goal games.

-I just noticed this. Hits. Sabres are the lowest BY FAR in hits. I know recording of that stat can be pretty variable and Buffalo seems to have a reputation of not having the official scorer recording many in Buffalo, but they are very low.  406 on the year is last in the league, 72 behind the 2nd worst team.  Top teams are at or close to 900 (Philly, Pitt, NYR).

-Blocked shots they are 2nd worst in the league.  Last in hitting, 2nd last in blocked shots.....that gives a lot of material to those who big on "team toughness, sacrificing your body" crowd.  Personally those things don't matter THAT much to me, but either roster contruction or play style seem to lean in that direction.

Edited December 14, 2022 by mjd1001

[shrader]

It’s very easy to figure out why they’re so far back just by looking at their schedule and results. Locate a loss on that schedule and then look at the games immediately before and after that loss. You’ll find another loss. There are only two cases so far this season where one loss did not turn into a losing streak. 
 

If you want to be a playoff team, learn how to respond after a loss and don’t turn it into a downward spiral. 

[French Collection]

There are three teams out of the playoff picture with a positive goal differential, Washington, Florida and Buffalo.

I am not an analytics guy but this used to be Scotty Bowman’s measure of a good team.

If the Sabres get Comrie back soon and he plays OK that will help the goals against. I want to see him with a healthy D and play another 10 games or so before judging him.