The Buffalo Sabres: Their Holes And Needs

Here we go with the next team on the list, the NHL’s eastern conference Buffalo Sabres.  The Sabres are definitely full of holes.  One of those holes would be back up goaltending.  When their starting netminder Ryan Miller went down with an ankle injury their playoff hopes this year were doomed.  Buffalo would do well to have a strong backup goaltender to give Miller some nights off and keep him rested for the playoffs, which the Sabres aim to be participating in next season.  They only missed this season’s playoffs by 3 points.  A win here an overtime loss there and before you know it, you clinch a playoff seed.

Buffalo needs some serious help on the blueline.  The Sabres did nominally replace underappreciated defenseman Jaroslav Spacek with journeyman rearguard Steve Montador.  But Spacek, who was wooed to Montreal with a three-year deal, was the Sabres’ top-scoring defenseman last season, and Montador won’t fill that offensive void. So I guess once again, the Sabres are hoping to close holes from within.  Prospects Chris Butler who played in 47 games last season, Mike Weber and Marc-Andre Gragnani all will get an opportunity at full-time duty in Buffalo.  That is a reasonable and certainly cost-effective way to manage a team but it doesn’t always work.  When you miss the playoffs for two straight seasons and have a track record of being unable to keep your talent in-house, patience grows thin for even the hardiest of fans, and the Sabres boast one of the most loyal fan groups in the NHL.

The Sabres offense was led by Derek Roy, Jason Pominville and 40 goal scorer Thomas Vanek.  Buffalo, looking to give their team some more offensive punch, selected Zach Kassian with the number 13 pick in the NHL draft.  Kassian a big winger with Peterborough of the OHL and is a fierce competitor.  He is one of the toughest guys in the OHL and probably the entire draft.  He is at his best when he is playing physical and tough along the boards.  He protects the puck very well and fights through checks.  Kassian also has very good play-making and puck-handling abilities.  However Kassian does have two knocks against him, he’s inconsistent and an ordinary skater.

Maybe Buffalo can get lucky and sign another tough veteran defensman, if that happens then expect the Sabres to find their way into next years playoffs.