The Buffalo Sabres are finally giving fans a reason to pay attention this March. For the first time in over a decade, the conversation surrounding the Sabres isn’t about the draft lottery, it’s about the playoffs, and who they will play in the first round as well as if they can lock up top spot in the Atlantic Division.
Here is the latest news and rumours surrounding the team.
Sabres Lead the Atlantic
The Buffalo Sabres are sitting at 95 points, which puts them four points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the division lead. They just wrapped up a wild road trip that ended in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night. Not the result you want when you are trying to secure home ice advantage through the first three rounds of the playoffs. But they still grabbed a point and have now picked up points in five straight games.
Related: Sabres Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Road Dominance Continues & More
The “magic number” to clinch a playoff spot is down to 13. With only 11 games left, the Sabres are going to end their 15-year playoff drought. At this point, it’s all about holding onto that top spot so they can have home ice in the first round. Which would be a big deal for a fan base that hasn’t seen playoff hockey since 2011. The KeyBank Center is going to be rocking when the puck finally drops to start the playoffs. It has been a long time coming but, the Sabres fans deserve it after all the hardships they’ve endured.
Deadline Additions will be Impactful in Playoffs
Sabres general manager (GM) Jarmo Kekäläinen made it pretty clear at the trade deadline that this team needed to get tougher. He brought in 6-foot-7 Logan Stanley and veteran Luke Schenn to add some size and physicality on the blue line. As well as an underrated add in Sam Carrick who has quickly become a fan favourite. The idea is simple, protect your best players. Rasmus Dahlin has been taking a lot of heat from opponents. He often is a target on the blue line, which was evident in the 8-7 classic between Buffalo and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
So, by Bringing in Stanley and Schenn on the back end who aren’t afraid to drop the gloves, allows Dahlin to play a bit more freely. The addition of Carrick has been great. He has been solid in the faceoff circle and does a lot of the little things right. It’s the little additions like these moves that can go a long way in helping a team get to the Stanley Cup Final. They are veterans who are well-known pros and won’t put up with anything after the whistles. Kekäläinen’s deadline may not have been as big as the Colorado Avalanche, but it end up being the best deadline additions this season.
The Final Stretch
The Sabres are back home on Wednesday night for a big game against the Boston Bruins. With Alex Tuch back in the lineup and both Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon playing really well, this team is in a good spot health-wise.
Related: Sabres’ Goaltending Is a Big Reason They Are Contenders
Lindy Ruff has them playing a style that actually fits playoff hockey. It’s structured, a bit heavier, and more disciplined. If they can keep picking up points and stay ahead of Tampa, they’re not just a playoff team, they could be a real problem once things get going.
