The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to break one of the most ignominious streaks in the NHL. The Sabres have not made the Stanley Cup playoffs since the 2009-10 season, and their long-suffering fans are hoping that this is the year they can get back to the postseason.
The Sabres finished last season in sixth place in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. They had a 36-29-7 record for 79 points — and that was 12 points behind the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs were the eighth and final qualifier in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
So, it's clear the Sabres have a lot of work to do if they want to climb in the standings. Head coach Lindy Ruff's team does have strengths. Their most impressive player is Tage Thompson, one of the game's greatest individual talents and an outstanding goal scorer.
The 27-year-old Thompson is a powerful skater who uses his 6-6, 220-pound frame to win the battle against most defensive setups on a regular basis.
Thompson has demonstrated he can put the puck in the net with his superb shot and effective moves during the last four season. He scored 38 goals and 30 assists in the 2021-22 season after scoring 18 goals in the previous four seasons combined.
After that breakout season, Thompson reached even greater heights with 47 goals and 47 assists in 2022-23.
He struggled to a degree the following year with with 29 goals and 27 assists before rebounding last year with 44 goals and 28 assists.
Thompson is the team's most valuable player and he is capable of scoring key goals in bunches. He will need help from Alex Tuch, who is likely to serve as the team's x-factor.
Tuch has to come through to give the Sabres options
The 29-year-old Tuch has been an impressive performer throughout his nine-year NHL career. He has spent the last four seasons with the Sabres and he has been highly productive.
He regularly lines up at right wing for the Sabres but he can also take faceoffs because he has the size and strength to do so.
He can play on the power play, take key shifts when the Sabres are shorthanded and also skate on the team's No. 2 line.
Tuch tied his career high by scoring 36 goals last season. That included 8 power play markers and 3 while the Sabres were shorthanded. He also added 31 assists.
Tuch had previously scored 36 goals in the 2022-23 season with the Sabres. The big right wing is not a traditional X-factor because he has reached the 36-goal mark on two occasions. However, Thompson is clearly the team's dominant scorer and he will receive most of the defensive attention. Tuch can take advantage of that by slipping into the proper goal scoring spots and then come through in key situations.
Ruff needs to find breakthrough players
Thompson and Tuch are the No. 1 and 2 forwards on the Sabres, and they have been teammates for several years. Despite their presence, the Sabres always find themselves on the outside looking in.
If the Sabres are finally going to fight their way back into the postseason, they are going to need production out of the center position.
Josh Norris centers the top line with Thompson on his right and Zach Benson scheduled to be on his left
Ryan McLeod centers the No. 2 line with Tuch on his right and veteran Jason Zucker on his left.
Ruff is going to need Norris or McLeod to come through — and hopefully both.
Dahlin remains the top option on the blue line
Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is the Sabres' best defenseman by a wide margin. He is beginning his eighth year with the team after being drafted with the No. 1 selection in the 2018 NHL Draft. He has shown he can score from the blue line on a consistent basis. He scored a career high 73 points in 2022-23 with 15 goals and 58 assists.
Dahlin followed that up with 20 goals and 39 assists in 2023-24 before coming through with 17 goals and 51 assists last season.
The Sabres need Dahlin to up his game even further and rank with the elite defensemen in the league.
If he can gain status in the race for the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman, the Sabres should have a much better chance of finally getting back to postseason hockey.
Much as Tuch is clearly the x-factor among forwards, Owen Power is in a similar position among defensemen. Dahlin is clearly the team's No. 1 defenseman, but Power should be the team's second-best blue liner and he needs to upgrade his game.
Power scored 7 goals and 33 assists last year for a career-best 40 points. If he can score 10 or more goals and 40 assists, he will provide Dahlin with the blue line support he needs.
