Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The hill to climb for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference became incredibly difficult for the Buffalo Sabres over the past week.
After embarking on a five-game road trip, including four games played in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest, the Sabres were only able to get four of a possible 10 points, which didn't do the team any service in the playoff race.
Now with just 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Sabres could very well need to win them all to even have a chance of making the postseason for the first time in 12 seasons.
The Washington Capitals currently control the final WIld Card spot in the East with 79 points, leading the Sabres by six points. Another main factor for the Sabres, though, is they have a lack of games in-hand on other teams ahead of them.
For the second season in-a-row, the Sabres remain close to a playoff spot with only a few games remaining in the regular season. Sabres head coach Don Granato feels it's extremely important for his group of players to stay focused on the next game at hand, rather than games ahead of them or the standings.
"You're in it until you're not," said Granato on Tuesday during his weekly appearance during the "Jeremy and Joe Show" on WGR. "The points behind, all that stuff, that can cloud what you have to do. You just have to go out and win the next game. I think this date last year, we were in the same situation virtually. I think we were six, seven points out, and we ended up one point out at the end. Who would have known that a year ago, right? That you're gonna make that final push. So it's the same every day. The minute you think it's something different, you're gonna lose sight of the next game in front of you, and you're gonna lose those two points."
It has been nearly three weeks since a slight shake up of the leadership group in Buffalo with the trading of players like captain Kyle Okposo, forward Casey Mittelstadt and veteran defenseman Erik Johnson ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. With the amount of change that has taken place not just this season, but over the course of the last few years, Granato feels a number of new leaders have emerged in the locker room, including winger Alex Tuch.
"I think Tuch has come a long ways as he's settled in," Granato said with Jeremy White and Joe DiBiase. "He had a career year last year, which I think he established himself and got a hint of how good he can be. In his time here in Buffalo, he realized how good he can be, and I probably should use the word great. When he's on his game, he's as good as anybody in the league. And he's grown a lot not only as a player, but as a leader. He has more of a presence to him than he did a year ago."
If there is one positive for the Sabres in the final 10 games of the season going forward is the potential return of forward Jack Quinn to the lineup. Granato revealed on WGR on Tuesday the winger will return to practice with the team after not playing since Jan. 27 when he suffered a lower-body injury against the San Jose Sharks.
Granato didn't provide a timeline on a definitive return for Quinn to game action, but did say he would likely return before the end of the year.
More from Granato's appearance during the "Jeremy and Joe Show" is available in the player below:
