Buffalo Sabres beat reporters Lance Lysowski and Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News provide their opinions on six notable topics at the start of the season:
1. Given the strong finish to 2021-22, should fans expect this club to make the playoffs?
MH: Fans should wish for it, root for it and demand it – but not expect it. From the walk-before-you run department: The Sabres initially need to play meaningful games in March for the first time since 2012 before they can legitimately think about ending the longest postseason drought in NHL history. The Sabres also have to prove the fun times of last March and April weren't just because they were loose with nothing to play for and other teams were tight while trying to pile up points.
Kyle Okposo pushed back against that theory, saying the Sabres' responsible style of play during that 28-game stretch is something that can be replicated this season, and the wins were not just a product of loose hockey. Okposo also said there are surprise teams every year that sneak into the playoffs. The Sabres will be better than most preseason predictions you see. But all these prognostications of 75 points again show the Sabres didn't get many believers from last season outside of Buffalo.
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LL: Not yet. This group will be more competitive, and a playoff push is a possibility. There’s finally depth at forward and on defense. They’ll score more goals and allow fewer if there are no significant injuries. Ultimately, though, it’s difficult to envision the Sabres closing the 25-point gap that separated them last season from the Washington Capitals, who earned the final spot in the Eastern Conference with 100 points. Several young players in prominent roles still need time to develop into high-end NHL players. There’s also the significant question in goal. Eric Comrie has played in only 28 NHL games, Craig Anderson is entering his 20th season and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is starting in Rochester. Health is the key here. General manager Kevyn Adams addressed the defense depth by adding four players on two-way contracts, including Lawrence Pilut, but the Sabres won’t be able to handle injuries at forward because most of the Amerks’ roster isn't ready to help in Buffalo.
2. Which goalie will start the most games for Buffalo this season?
MH: Has to be Comrie. You don't dip into free agency, even only at two years and $3.6 million total, to bring in someone and make them a backup goalie. Comrie did well in limited time last season in Winnipeg behind Connor Hellebuyck, and probably should have gotten a few more games, but the Jets were making a playoff push and interim coach Dave Lowry was trying to save his job after Paul Maurice's resignation, so Comrie didn't get a lot of ice. You're looking at 40-45 starts for Comrie, and would do well to get 30 from Anderson at age 41. Both have looked strong in camp. There surely will be starts available for Luukkonen, as well, at some point.
LL: Comrie. The Sabres will receive a bulk of starts from Anderson, who gave them a chance to win seemingly every game during the second half of the season. But he can’t be expected to have a starter’s workload following a year in which he dealt with neck and hip injuries. The Sabres should make every effort to spread out his starts so he’s able to contribute for the duration of the season. And Comrie appears ready for a starting role.
Comrie, 27, posted a .920 save percentage and 2.58 goals against-average in 19 appearances with Winnipeg in 2021-22. He’s played 207 regular-season games in the American Hockey League. It’s time to see if Comrie can handle the job. The Sabres signed him to a two-year contract in July, a bridge plan to give coach Don Granato another capable goalie until Luukkonen is ready. The organization isn’t interested in rushing Luukkonen to Buffalo this season. But if Luukkonen has success, and Comrie falters, perhaps there will be a change of plans.
3. Will someone on this roster have a breakout year like the one Tage Thompson experienced last season? If so, who?
MH: No one is going from eight goals to 38 as Thompson did, but there are higher ceilings to be reached on this roster. The most notable standout has to be Dylan Cozens. He went to the IIHF World Championships determined to score after finishing the NHL season in a woeful shooting slump, and did just that. Now he wants to carry that out back in Buffalo and prove last season was a lot of bad shooting luck. Did you see that short-handed goal he scored in the preseason home finale against Carolina? Scorer's move, scorer's hands. Has 30-goal potential in the NHL someday.
LL: Cozens. Entering his third NHL season, Cozens has the speed, skill, defensive aptitude and experience to have a breakout year. His seven goals at the IIHF World Championship were tied for the tournament lead, and his 13 points were second behind Drake Batherson’s 14. Additionally, Cozens ranked third on the Sabres last season in individual shot quality at 5-on-5 – according to Evolving-Hockey.com – but he finished with only 13 goals because of an 8.1% shooting percentage. His willingness to attack the middle of the ice is one of many signs that he’s going to produce more offensively. Casey Mittelstadt also appears ready to prove that he can be a goal-scorer and playmaker in the NHL.
4. Among the players who will start in Rochester, which one will make the biggest impact with the Sabres this season?
MH: Luukkonen. He's looked great in camp, which is good news after a subpar performance here in September 2021. He just needs to get regular action and stay healthy. It feels unlikely the Sabres can go through 82 games with Comrie and Anderson, and it seems like the plan for 2023-24 is Luukkonen and Comrie. So UPL will see some NHL action this year. By the way, I'm fascinated to see which forwards will get the call to make their NHL debuts. Off what we saw in camp, Aleksandr Kisakov, Tyson Kozak, Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen, Lukas Rousek and Linus Weissbach could all play themselves into that role when injuries hit.
LL: Lawrence Pilut. The left-shot defenseman will have to wait for an opportunity, but he’s a stylistic fit with how the Sabres want to play and looks stronger in puck battles after spending two seasons in Russia. Pilut, 26, can play the left or right side. He can also help on the power play if there’s an injury. The Sabres’ top six on defense is set for now, but injuries are inevitable, even those of the short-term variety. Every team needs depth on the blue line, and Pilut will be a significant upgrade over the options they’ve used in the past. Luukkonen is going to play, and win, games for the Sabres this season, and Linus Weissbach is the forward most likely to take a big step.
5. Which rookie other than Owen Power will have the better season: Jack Quinn or JJ Peterka?
MH: Ask me before camp started and I would have said Peterka. But now it looks as if Quinn has to be the answer. He seems top-six ready, befitting his status as a top-10 pick, and is going to get power play time. Peterka has struggled with the 200-foot game and turnovers in the preseason, much like he did at the start of last year in Rochester. But he's a fast learner. The Calder Cup playoff standout we saw in May wasn't remotely the same kid folks down the Thruway saw in, say, November. The Sabres think the same kind of rapid progression can happen in the NHL, too.
LL: Quinn. Yes, Peterka had the better playoffs and looks ready to contribute with a two-way game that’s improved leaps and bounds since training camp last fall. But Peterka is still a raw talent. We saw during his NHL debut last December that he can skate himself into trouble in the increased pace. There were some poor turnovers in the preseason. He’ll need more time to acclimate, whereas Quinn’s game should seamlessly transition. Quinn is a natural goal scorer who will skate next to a talented center. He's ready to contribute in the top-six.
6. In the Atlantic Division, which team takes a step back and which one surprises?
MH: Florida has to take a step back only because so much went right to end up with 122 points last season. But I'm still thinking the Panthers finish in the 100-110 range. The team that can come back to the pack is Boston. Long-term injuries to start the season (Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy), age of returning players such as David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron, and a new coach (Jim Montgomery) with a new system mean this is a team in transition. The B's aren't getting 100 points again, but do they slip enough for someone to catch them for fourth place? The Sabres will be a surprise nationally, but not locally. The media darlings to make the jump, especially in Canada, are the Ottawa Senators. But even with the offseason acquisitions of Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat, there are holes in their lineup. And the biggest is in goal, where presumed starter Cam Talbot suffered an upper-body injury in camp and won't be back until around Thanksgiving.
LL: Florida takes a step back. The Presidents’ Trophy winners chose to not retain interim coach Andre Brunette, hired Paul Maurice and traded two franchise cornerstones for Matthew Tkachuk. As concerning, the Panthers lost Mason Marchment to Dallas in free agency and spent money on depth forwards who struggled elsewhere. The Panthers will make the playoffs, but it’s not going to be what they envisioned. The Bruins are the perennial contender most likely to tumble. New coach, bunch of injuries and a few young players thrust into prominent roles in a pressure-packed situation.
The Sabres are most likely to surprise. Detroit and Ottawa don’t have the necessary depth. Again, Buffalo’s big question is in goal.
