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The Buffalo Sabres have been improving steadily for the last couple of years, but that has been of little comfort to the team's long-suffering fans.
That's because the Sabres have not made the playoffs since the 2009-10 season, and that's just a huge dry spell. They were close last year as they finished one point out of a possible playoff appearance and that means the pressure has been ratcheted up quite a bit this season. Close will not be good enough in 2023-24. If the Sabres miss out on the playoffs once again, it could be very bad news for general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Don Granato.
The Sabres have several top-level players on their roster that are either All-Stars or approaching that status. They include Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Dylan Cozens among the forwards and Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power among defensemen.
Those core players may be good enough to get the Sabres to the playoffs, but they need contributions from a number of newcomers to get there.
The most important of those players is rookie goaltender Devon Levi. The Sabres have been lacking in the goaltending department for years and their weakness in that area may be the primary reason for their failure to make an appearance in the postseason.
In addition to Levi, defenseman Connor Clifton and J.J. Peterka are likely to have an impact on the season. Clifton is a former Bruin who plays with a physical edge and Peterka is a forward who could play a key role on the Sabres' second line.
Goaltender Devon Levi
Why do the Sabres believe that Levi can be their goaltender of the present and the future? It is based largely on the success he had as a college goaltender at Northeastern University.
That school was a competitive college team last year even though the overall talent level was quite average. Levi was stellar for the Huskies, compiling a 17-12-5 record and a 2.24 goals-against average, along with a .933 save percentage.
Those great numbers certainly got the attention of the Sabres, and they gave him an immediate opportunity at the end of last season as a result. His performance was quite solid, as he had a 5-2-0 record with a 2.94 GAA and a .905 save percentage.
The Sabres are anticipating a very good-to-excellent season from Levi this year, and that could provide the growth the team needs to make the playoffs as either a top-3 team in Atlantic Division or a Wild Card team in the Eastern Conference.
Levi has a very quick glove hand that may turn out to be his best asset. He should be able to reach peak form once he reaches the 25-game mark this season, and that will let the Sabres know that whether they have the right goaltender to make the playoffs or not.
Defenseman Connor Clifton
The Sabres have not been huge movers in free agency, but they did sign Clifton away from the rival Bruins in the offseason.
Clifton is not an All-Star, but he plays with maximum effort, will block shots and display the kind of physical presence that the Sabres have not always had in their lineup.
Clifton is something of a fearless character who will sacrifice his body to get in front of shots and he is not afraid to confront an opponent if he sees a player who has tried to take liberties with one of his teammates.
This will make his presence in the locker room and important factor for the Sabres this season. He may be a third-pairing defenseman at the start of the season, but he is likely to play an important role for the team.
Don't overlook Clifton's offensive skills. He has a good shot from the point, and some observers believe he could approach 10 goals or more this season.
Winger J.J. Peterka
Peterka played fairly well for the Sabres during his rookie season last year, but he appeared to be a much more effective player early in the season than he was later on.
He appeared to get down on himself in the last couple of months, but he played extremely well for Germany in the World Championships that were played at the conclusion of the regular season.
He scored six goals and six assists in 10 games and was the best player on the ice for Germany throughout the tournament.
It appears that Peterka has gained confidence as a result of his performance in the World Championships.
