Know this ahead of time: My default setting is to love the Buffalo Sabres.
That can mean many different things, sometimes all at once. The 11 seasons that have come and now almost gone without a playoff appearance and barely even a sniff of a playoff race will do that to a person.
There was a late-season game in Washington in the spring of 2012against the Capitals that the Sabres won to move into a playoff spot that they coughed up a few nights later. There was the 10-game win streak around Thanksgiving in 2018 that turned out to be a fluke, and that’s it.
So yeah, I get it if you’ve tuned them out, gotten mad, indifferent, sad and detached.
It’s complicated.
But right now, there are some things to like, and maybe even love about these Sabres. As much of an eye roll as the organizational “we want guys who want to be here” mantra was in the midst of the Jack Eichel trade drama, I have to admit, these Sabres players are convincing in that respect.
Now, how does the organization make that last long enough to actually matter in the standings?
They’re obviously going to need more good players. The good news is, there are more good players coming in the form of Owen Power, Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka. There will be loads of salary cap space to add, and as much as free agency can be a trap door, the Sabres will need to spend money just to reach the salary floor.
The pieces already here have impressed to varying degrees, led by Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson. Both players can be used as examples in showing patience with young players, and giving them time to reach their ceilings.
Dahlin looked to be stalling out on the path to stardom earlier this season. That project is squarely back on track now. If you’ve been watching, you already know that Dahlin has been flat-out dominating games for weeks. His skating, vision, patience and even his snarl have all been front-and-center pretty regularly since the calendar flipped to 2022.
As for Thompson, he once seemed destined to be the cruel punch line of the Ryan O’Reilly trade. Instead, he now looks like one of the most unique players in the NHL. Sure there have been plenty of 6-foot-6 forwards in the league, but very few without the word “power” attached. Hitting, fighting, grinding along the walls and paying the price in front of the net are some of the things that have been expected of a player the size of Thompson.
I can only imagine how many conversations he’s had to endure with coaches, managers and scouts over the years about putting on some weight and playing to his size.
Instead, what we now seem to have is an extremely skilled giant with a great shot that he has learned how to unload in a hurry. If this season is remembered for anything other than the Eichel trade, it should be the emergence of Thompson.
There are some other promising pieces here already, and as mentioned earlier, more coming.
What the Sabres do in goal moving forward will be interesting to watch unfold, and may offer some clue as to how soon the organization itself thinks they can contend for a playoff spot.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen showed some promise in the NHL earlier this season and has to be a part of the plan next season. But he’s not a sure thing starting in goal next year.
Craig Anderson has been good and valuable, but a pairing of Anderson and Luukkonen isn’t going to convince me the Sabres think they’re ready to challenge the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. A younger veteran is called for.
I doubt the Sabres would like to commit big money and years to a free agent, so maybe a trade for a goalie with a year or two left on his contract is the play. Add that guy, and if Luukkonen out performs him, great. If he doesn’t, I’ve got some insurance that isn’t 40-years-old.
What the Sabres mostly can’t do in goal is just wait for the kids, lead by Luukkonen, to save them.
Devon Levi had an amazing season at Northeastern University. Erik Portillo will be in the net for the University of Michigan at the Frozen Four. Most of the season, the prospects guys I’ve read and heard from mostly sounded like Levi was ready to turn pro after the season, while Portillo would benefit from another year of college hockey.
We still haven’t heard anything official on Levi, but there may be a clue in that his backup at Northeastern, T.J. Semptimphelte, has entered the NCAA transfer portal. There could be a few different reasons for that, but one big one could be that Levi is planning to return to college for another season and Semptimphelte knows he’ll barely play if he stays at Northeastern.
To be clear, that’s just me guessing.
If that guess turns out to be right, could that push the Sabres to sign Portillo so he can play in Rochester next season? Maybe. Either way, the point here isn’t to predict the immediate future for Levi and Portillo. It’s more to point out that waiting for them is not a goaltending plan for next season in the NHL, regardless of them signing pro contracts this spring.
Put all of this together and what do we have?
Well, there’s still a great many “ifs” in play. If the prospects, if the goalies, if free agency, if nothing disturbs the vibes of this current group.
There is still a long way to go, but it feels like progress is finally being made. Watching the Sabres has become fun again.
Hopefully soon, winning and contending for the playoffs will come as well, because fans aren’t filling the building again on vibes.
