Welcome to Buffalo Sabres Weekly, the place you possibly can make amends for the final week of the Sabres all through the 2019-20 season. From trending matters to information and notes, that is your weekly replace in your favorite crew.
This house is particularly designed to resonate with Sabres followers in Western New York and overseas. Contemplate this your go-to supply for the information and perception you want throughout the Golden Season. We’ll characteristic our Royal Blues (issues which can be trending up), Buffaslugs (issues which can be trending down), French Connection Awards (three stars of the week) and rather more.
Sabres’ Royal Blues
The Sabres have me conflicted at this early stage of the season.
After 9 video games, they’ve a document of 7-1-1 and sit atop the Jap Convention with 15 factors. They’re second within the league in purpose differential at plus-13 and are coming off a four-game week after they earned six of a attainable eight factors, together with 4 of six on a California journey. Their energy play is on observe and so they have obtained strong goaltending.
Why do issues nonetheless really feel off?
Whereas their document is spectacular, some numbers beneath the floor have taken the sizzle off their scorching begin. Numerous these have been touched on in final week’s version of Sabres Weekly.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark reaches for the puck subsequent to San Jose Sharks middle Logan Couture (AP Picture/Jeff Chiu)
In keeping with Pure Stat Trick, listed below are among the Sabres’ numbers over the previous week at five-on-five rating and venue adjusted. Their Corsi For share (CF%) was 23rd within the league at 47.97%, Fenwick For share (FF%) was 20th at 48.97% and anticipated targets for share (xGF%) was 19th at 48.90%. Maintaining them afloat was the fifth-ranked taking pictures share (SH%) at 11.14% and the fifth-ranked save share (SV%) at .962%.
Now, that is the Royal Blues the place we talk about every thing going proper in Sabreland. Whereas these numbers point out an strategy to successful hockey video games that will not appear sustainable, there’s cause to imagine that it may work.
The Sabres’ fashion will be categorized as “low-event”. Although they hardly ever overwhelm opponents with high-flying probabilities, in addition they mitigate probabilities in opposition to, taking part in sound protection and counting on strong goaltending to grind out victories.
Sound acquainted? Your 2019-20 Sabres are the 2018-19 New York Islanders.
Coming off a disastrous defensive season, the Islanders introduced in head coach Barry Trotz and goaltending guru Mitch Korn. Collectively, they applied a construction and glued the goaltending on a crew that was largely unchanged (apart from dropping John Tavares) and led them unexpectedly previous the Pittsburgh Penguins and into the second spherical of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz seems on from behind the bench (Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports activities)
What did their common season appear like? They completed 21st with a 48.47CF%, 20th with a 48.81FF% and 14th with a 50.44xGF%. On the identical time, they completed ninth with an eight.54 taking pictures share and first with a .935 save share. This season’s Sabres are a mirror picture of final season’s Islanders.
In any occasion, coach Ralph Krueger and assistant coach/goalie skilled Mike Bales are implementing a mode that most closely fits their lineup. Being a really younger crew with a historical past of defensive points, it is sensible to play a protected, stifling fashion that makes use of expert puck-movers with high-end expertise within the ahead ranks.
On prime of that, younger dynamos Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin have began off properly however have but to hit their full stride. The California groups are a problem for centres and defencemen with their dimension, velocity and talent and the duo’s lack of factors final week will be attributed to that.
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
At this level, Eichel is on tempo for 91 factors and Dahlin 82. These totals may propel the Sabres to a playoff berth on their very own. As soon as Eichel and particularly Dahlin get a firmer grip on Krueger’s system, count on them each to proceed placing pucks within the web.
This hot-start bodes properly for any hopes the Sabres have at a playoff spot. Regression is coming. No crew will maintain a 137-point tempo. Final season, it took 98 factors to make the playoffs within the Jap Convention. The Sabres would want to keep up a 56.eight level share all through the remaining video games to achieve that stage. Taking 83.Three % of all factors, they’ve constructed some wiggle room and we will solely hope the underside doesn’t fall out like final season.
Sabres’ Buffaslugs
It’s good to have the ability to say this once more: there actually isn’t a lot this week that’s trending down.
Positive, it might’ve been good if the Sabres hadn’t been killed in photographs by the Los Angeles Kings to the tune of 47-24. Nonetheless, they managed to tug off a Three-Zero victory.
The Anaheim Geese introduced a bodily problem. When the Sabres performed their fashion popping out of the gate they have been profitable. When the Geese tried to implement their bodily intimidation, the Sabres bit and suffered for it. Little doubt they discovered the lesson to stay to their recreation plan and battle the tendency to cave.
Buffalo Sabres ahead Kyle Okposo had a robust week total (AP Picture/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
The crew continues to win and discover success. Something that Krueger touches within the lineup is working. If we need to decide nits, nevertheless, we will nonetheless discover room for enchancment.
Vladimir Sobotka sits 10th on the crew in five-on-five ice time. This can be a recording. He’s forward of Victor Olofsson, Marcus Johansson, Casey Mittelstadt and others.
Don’t get me fallacious, Sobotka has improved because the begin of the season. Contemplating that the bar was low heading into it, bettering to the purpose of mere competency mustn’t advantage the ice time he’s receiving. Given Mittelstadt’s enchancment and skillset, I’d prefer to see him acquire some elevated taking part in time and maybe attempt to construct chemistry with Johansson and Jeff Skinner. Till they begin dropping, nevertheless, I wouldn’t count on to see a lot of a change.
The French Connection Awards
Third Star- The “LOG” Line
The road of Johan Larsson, Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons has continued their robust play. After having a harder recreation in opposition to the Dallas Stars, the trio was the Sabres’ finest line in two powerful video games in opposition to the Kings and Geese. In addition they executed their exhausting biking and checking recreation Saturday evening in opposition to the San Jose Sharks. Because of their arduous work, they have been rewarded with the successful purpose to cap off a profitable street journey.
As this line continues to work collectively and discover success, it should imply good issues for the extra expert gamers within the lineup. Getting these depth contributions are crucial for the Sabres to earn a playoff spot.
Second Star- Henri Jokiharju
Jokiharju continues to impress. He performs with a scope on his stick, able to sending screaming stretch, tape-to-tape passes to his streaking forwards. The larger affect of his recreation has been on his companion Marco Scandella. The 2 are proudly owning the ice and will shortly turn out to be the go-to pair the Sabres want in key conditions. Jokiharju put up three assists this week and his offensive recreation was on full show in opposition to the Sharks on Saturday.
First Star- Carter Hutton
This was simply the most effective week of Hutton’s Sabres profession. After a comparatively uneventful shutout in opposition to the Stars on Monday, Hutton stood on his head with a franchise-record, 47-save shutout in opposition to the Kings. His shutout streak sits at 128:36.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton (Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports activities)
In keeping with Corsica.hockey, he has an anticipated save share of 93.12 % however has exceeded that and is stopping 96.55 %, tops within the league. If he and Linus Ullmark can proceed their strong play, the crew will proceed to emulate the Islanders’ mannequin.
Sabres Prospect Focus
Lawrence Pilut
Pilut returned to the ice this week after struggling a shoulder harm throughout the Rochester People’ finale final season. He has been paired with Will Borgen. Having not seen any motion because the spring, it should take a while for him to shake off the rust and get again to his recreation. As soon as he’s up to the mark with the People, there will likely be rumblings of his potential return to the Sabres.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut. (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports activities)
He confirmed nice poise and puck management final season. Till there are accidents or trades, nevertheless, it doesn’t appear cheap to count on him with the large membership. The argument will be made that he needs to be within the NHL, however the logistics don’t make sense given the roster. Within the meantime, it will likely be fascinating to observe him regain the offensive acumen he displayed final season.
The Sabres’ Week Forward
Tuesday, Oct. 22 vs San Jose Sharks
We’ve a rematch after an thrilling recreation final Saturday in San Jose. The Sabres discovered a method to execute their recreation plan and persist with it in opposition to a slow-starting Sharks crew that was starting to seek out some traction. Goaltender Martin Jones was his normal shaky self and will get the beginning on this recreation. Hutton will little doubt get the beginning for the Sabres and look to increase his shuto…errr…string of fantastic play. If the Sabres can get pucks on web with our bodies in entrance they are going to be profitable.
Thursday, Oct. 24 @ New York Rangers
The Sabres head into Madison Sq. Backyard to play a Rangers crew that’s among the many worst within the league in puck possession. Led by stud centreman Mika Zibanejad, the Rangers are struggling attributable to an absence of depth. This would be the Sabres’ first likelihood to see rookie Kaapo Kakko carry out.
Kaapo Kakko, New York Rangers, NHL Prospects Match (Jenae Anderson / The Hockey Writers)
That is the sport the place the Sabres can possess the puck and out-chance their opponents. Surprisingly, they need to hope they’ll face Henrik Lundqvist (1-Three-Zero, .906 sv%, Three.57 goals-against common) relatively than again up Alexandar Georgiev (1-1-Zero, .928 sv%, 2.56 targets in opposition to common).
Friday, Oct. 25 @ Detroit Pink Wings
The Sabres end off the week with one other beneficial matchup in opposition to the Detroit Pink Wings. The Pink Wings boast a wonderful prime line of Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi however past that, they’ve few offensive threats. We’ll see if Krueger tries to make use of the LOG line in opposition to the highest unit to attempt to diffuse them. The Sabres are poised to win all three video games this week and financial institution extra factors for a hopeful playoff run.
