Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – It has been a rough start to the 2023-24 season for the Buffalo Sabres, as they currently sit with a 13-17-3 record and in seventh place in the Atlantic Division standings.
While the team has earned some big statement wins this season against some of the best teams in the NHL, where Buffalo has struggled the most this year is being able to string along some consistent stretches of play. After a win this season, the Sabres have gone an abysmal 1-12, and continue to fall deeper and deeper behind the rest of the Eastern Conference.
"I believe we are in a very challenging time right now," said Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams during an appearance on "Schopp and the Bulldog" on Thursday, as his team readied to play the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. "I do believe we have to stick together. We have to find solutions and continue to work and come out the other side. I do believe when we come out the other side, we will be stronger for it."
One of the key struggles for the Sabres this season has, once again, been a lack of success on home ice, going a 6-8-1 in front of the hometown faithful. It's an aspect of team play Granato feels his group needs to take more advantage of.
"We need to drive energy and compete, and to get our fans excited and into the game. That’s been lacking, and we need to fix it. Period," Adams said with Chris "Bulldog" Parker.
Even before an abominable 9-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night in Buffalo, the cracks in the armor have been showing in the Sabres' locker room for the past few weeks. It was more than two weeks ago when center Dylan Cozens questioned the team's toughness after a loss, saying Buffalo was often "too soft" to play against.
"As a player, sometimes the emotions get the best of you," Adams said. "I’m not saying what he said is necessarily wrong, but the problem is you have to realize, as a group, you're in this fight together. If you talk and make statements about our team, you have to be ready to handle it internally and say this is how we’re gonna fix it."
Hear more from Adams' interview during "Schopp and the Bulldog" available in the player below:
