Buffalo Sabres - 2023-24 Projections
Buffalo Sabres - 2023-24 ProjectionsBUFFALO SABRES
Last year: 42-33-7, 5th in the Atlantic (9th place in Eastern Conference, missed the playoffs)
Projected: 5th in the Atlantic
6. OTTAWA
8. MONTREAL
*Rankings calculated by KEVIN, a predictive learning model created by Rachel Doerrie
Keys to the Season
1. Levi Living Up To Expectations: Sabres GM Kevyn Adams chose not to go out and trade for a veteran goaltender such as Connor Hellebuyck or sign a veteran free agent to share duties with rookie Devon Levi, opting to roll the dice on the promising two-time Mike Richter Award winner as the club’s primary starter. The Montreal-area native is extremely able and confident, but the only goalie since 2000 under the age of 21 to succeed as the #1 starter is a guy named Carey Price. Buffalo’s playoff aspirations with an inconsistent Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and oft-injured Eric Comrie backing him up will rest primarily on the shoulders of Levi.
2. Defense, Defense, Defense: After frequent summer chatter that the Sabres were kicking tires on blueliners Noah Hanifin and Brett Pesce (both who were entering the final year of their contracts and in need of contract extensions), Adams opted to conserve his cap space in order to re-sign cornerstones Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power and instead signed 35-year-old Cup winner Eric Johnson to a one-year deal and former Boston Bruin Connor Clifton to help solidify a defense corps with a lot of offensive firepower that gave up 300 goals against last season.
3. Keep The Goals Coming: The Sabres were the third-highest scoring club in the NHL (296 goals), playing an up-tempo, attacking style that head coach Don Granato advocates with weapons like Dahlin, Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Alex Tuch, and Jeff Skinner. Buffalo brought back all of their forward group, and may be adding another young scorer in Zach Benson or Matthew Savoie, but will need to be more conscientious at both ends of the ice without a significant dropoff in their production.
Most Likely Scenario: The Sabres will be competitive in the race for third place in the Atlantic or one of the Eastern Conference wildcard spots, but making the playoffs may come down to Adams being active at the trade deadline and adding a defenseman or goalie.
Worst-Case Scenario: The transition from the NCAA to the NHL is too much, too soon for Levi and he struggles, and/or the defensive upgrades were not sufficient to cut down on Buffalo’s woes in their own end.