Buffalo Sabres 24-25 Season Preview

Buffalo Sabres
Atlantic Division

2023-24 Recap
Record (W-L-OTL): 39-37-6
Over/Under: 31-47-4
Home Favorite: 14-9
Home Dog: 6-9
Road Favorite: 7-2
Road Dog: 11-20
Win Score 4 or more: 23 of 39
Lose Give Up 4 or more: 36 of 43
Puck Line Wins: 27 of 39
Puck Line Losses: 29 of 43
Front End Back-to-Back: 4-3
Back End Back-to-Back: 2-5
Goals Scored Per Game: 2.98 (23rd)
Goals Against Per Game: 2.96 (11th)

Additions: Lindy Ruff (Head Coach), Ryan McLeod, Jason Zucker, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Sam Lafferty, James Reimer, Beck Malenstyn
Subtractions: Don Granato (Head Coach), Jeff Skinner, Zemgus Girgensons, Tyson Jost, Victor Olofsson, Matt Savoie

There was a great deal of hope in Western New York entering last season. Buffalo was one point shy of a playoff spot in 2022-23 but could never get rolling in 2024 and missed the playoffs for a 13th consecutive season. Head Coach, Don Granato was fired and replaced by Lindy Ruff who returns for his second stint as Sabres bench boss. Will that be enough to push this team to playing Game 83 for the first time in 14 seasons?

Offense
After finishing third in goals scored in 2022-23 the Sabres plummeted to 23rd last season. Much of that can be attributed to the Power Play that scored 36 fewer goals with the extra man. Buffalo’s powerplay fell from 9th in 2022-23 to 29th in the NHL last season. The Sabres top forwards all fell off the scoring map. Tage Thompson followed up his breakout season of 47 goals and 94 points with just 29 goals and 56 points last season. Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch also had 20-point decreases in their point totals. With Thompson and Cozens being the teams top two centers and largely responsible for driving play of their lines a bounce back season from the pair should lead to better offensive numbers. JJ Peterka coming off a 28-goal season could find himself on the top line with Tuch and Tage Thompson.

General Manager, Kevyn Adams also addressed the need to improve the bottom six forward group bringing in Ryan McLeod, Jason Zucker, Sam Lafferty, Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Beck Malenstyn. Zucker is the only one of the additions to ever score 20 goals and Lafferty is coming off a career high 13 goals last season in Vancouver. One other aspect of the Sabres game that needs to be corrected is starting on time. Buffalo trailed 35 times after the opening period and lost 28 of those games. Their (-30) goal differential in the opening 20 minutes was the worst in the NHL. Conversely, the Sabres were 18-3-1 leading after the first period and 26-1-1 when leading after 40 minutes.

Defense
While the Sabres offense took a nosedive last season, the defensive numbers went in a positive direction. Buffalo rose from 26th to 11th in fewest goals allowed last season. The Sabres have three defenseman that could all one day win the Norris Trophy (league’s best defenseman) with Rasmus Dahlin (2019, 1st overall), Owen Power (2021, 1st overall) and Bowen Byram (2019, 4th overall). Dahlin was one of four defensemen in 23-24 to score 20 goals. Mattias Samuelsson, Henri Jokiharju and Connor Clifton round out the top six giving Buffalo one of the best top six groups in the NHL. Combine that with Lindy Ruff’s defensive structured system the Sabres could move into the top 10 in goals allowed.

Goaltending
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen went from goalie of the future to number three on the depth chart behind Devon Levi and Eric Comrie when last season started. When the dust settled, the goalie simply known as UPL emerged as the starter and one of the best goalies in the league finishing at or near the top 10 in Wins, GAA and Save Percentage. It also earned him a new 5-year contract at 4.75 million per season.

Devon Levi who ended up splitting time behind Buffalo and AHL Rochester and is in the final year of his entry level deal is penciled in as the backup. Veteran goalie, James Reimer was signed, adding depth to the position. Levi’s development could benefit from a full season as the starter with the Sabres top minor league team in Rochester rather than serving as the backup in Buffalo.

Player to Watch – Jack Quinn
The 8th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft missed most of last season due to an Achilles injury. Quinn who finished the season with 19 points in 27 games and could easily find himself as part of the top six group of forwards when the season starts in October. The Ottawa native scored 52 goals in his draft year and many close to the team see the potential for a breakout season.

Outlook
If Lindy Ruff can help the likes of Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Dylan Cozens find their missing offensive production from two seasons ago the Sabres will have a chance to end the longest NHL postseason drought of 13 seasons. Buffalo will be tested right from the start. Their first 10 games include a pair versus the Devils (in Czech Republic), two with Florida and a home game vs the Dallas Stars. The question remains is do they have enough to overtake one of last season’s four Atlantic Division playoff teams? It’s possible but not worth a wager.

Regular Season Point Total: 88.5 (-115)
To Make the Playoffs: +180
To Miss the Playoffs: -220
To Win the Atlantic Division: +1600
To Win the Eastern Conference: +2500
To Win the Stanley Cup: +5000