After beating the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, the Buffalo Sabres did what felt impossible just six months ago: they won the Atlantic Division. It is the first time they have won this incarnation of the division, and their first division title since 2009-10 (when it was the Northeast Division).
Everyone is having fun, including the team’s social media admin who let everyone know that he was coming with the receipts. Since there is a little time before the playoffs get underway, it’s time to hand out some totally serious and prestigious regular season awards that are made up by a guy who seemingly knows shockingly little about hockey.
Biggest Surprise – Jack Quinn
There could be several names to fit the bill here, one of whom will claim an award further down the page. For that reason, this award goes to Jack Quinn, who just about everyone had written off as a disappointment and a lost cause. Yours truly may or may not have been one of his biggest doubters.
He instead responded with his best season across the board. He averaged the most ice time of his career (15:39), while setting career-highs in goals (20), assists (31), and points (51). At times, he definitely looked like the dynamic talent we all hoped for and has been on an upward trajectory since the last third of last season. Major props to Quinn for fighting through all the adversity and becoming a better player.
Biggest Disappointment – Michael Kesselring
First and foremost, this isn’t a big slam on Kesselring. He was thought to be the centerpiece of the J.J. Peterka trade, so expectations were high upon his arrival. Injuries set him back and kept on setting him back, and only now does he seem like he’s approaching some level of normal.
That said, he was supposed to be the guy to slot into the top four as a reliable right-handed option. That never happened and if it weren’t for the other piece in that deal, the Sabres would (rightfully) be getting killed for it. Even if he doesn’t make the playoff roster, the hope will be that he comes into camp healthy next season and ready to make an impact.
“Got That Dog in Them” Award – Josh Doan and Zach Benson
The phrase gets thrown around a lot in sports, but sometimes you just need a couple of dogs to go out there and raise hell. That’s exactly who Doan and Benson have been all season long. They both are constantly in the face of opposing defenders, causing turnovers or at least general discomfort.
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Oh, and they’re also both super young and scoring at career-best clips. There are more valuable individuals to this team, but the way these two play has had a massive impact on the Sabres, as a whole. They aren’t the “individual hardware” kind of players, but they are invaluable no less.
“I’m So Sorry for Being So Wrong” Award – Mattias Samuelsson
Quinn could have been here. Ditto for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who reminded everyone that he didn’t have just one awesome season a few years ago. This award goes to one man and one man alone who defied expectations so dramatically that he put everyone one of his doubters (like one questionably intelligent Sabres writer) to shame: Mattias Samuelsson.
The collective fan base was just about over him after years of injuries and disappointment. So, how did he respond? If you guessed “by having the best season of his career by a country mile,” then you get a cookie.
Samuelsson had a season that cannot be understated. He scored nearly twice as many goals this season (13) as he had in the previous 212 games (7). He had nearly as many points (41) as he had in that 212-game span (43). Oh, and he had a +41 rating and averaged a career-high 22:50. Samuelsson played top pair defense and did it in a career-high 78 games. This is one of those things you’re happy to be as wrong as possible about.
Mr. Electric Award – Rasmus Dahlin
I’ll be honest – this almost went to Beck Malenstyn. He doesn’t score often (seven goals this season) but when he does, you can bet it’s going to make a highlight reel. Instead, this will go to the captain, Rasmus Dahlin, who also just so happens to be one of the best defensemen in the world. Go figure.
Dahlin doesn’t have that quick-twitch explosiveness but does everything so smoothly that it looks like he’s barely trying. He leads rushes up the ice that feel like he’s dancing around pylons, deftly dishing it off for an assist or picking a corner to complete the play himself. The way he straddles the line, makes quick cuts to free up space, and the millions of other things he does make him the most exciting player to watch for the Sabres.
Buffalo Sabres MVP – Rasmus Dahlin
As prestigious as the Mr. Electric Award is, there is no one more valuable to the Sabres than Dahlin. He does everything for them offensively, defensively, and in the locker room. When he returned from a major personal issue, the team seemed to galvanize and rally behind him.
Dahlin finished with the team-lead in assists (55) and second in points (74) behind only Tage Thompson. This may be the best Norris Trophy race in history, otherwise Dahlin would be running away with the award in virtually any other season. In all seriousness, Dahlin is the heart and soul of this team, the single biggest reason why we are celebrating a division championship.
More Hardware to Be Earned
Winning the Atlantic Division is about as sweet as it gets right now but the work isn’t done. Winning a series needs to be the objective, but that shouldn’t be enough, either. For the first time since perhaps 2006-07, winning the Stanley Cup feels like a tangible goal.
The team is healthy, deep, and has a goaltender or two who can carry them. They have an elite defenseman, top-end scoring, and an annoying middle-six that can bring curse words to the lips of any defender. They have the formula to win it all, now it’s just a matter of putting the math together.
