Confirmed Signing with Link: [BUF] Sabres Extend Sam Reinhart (1 Year, $5.2M)

[Digable5]

I'm no Habs fan but their goaltending is much MUCH stronger than Buffalo's in fact you could make the argument that Buffalo's goaltending is among the weakest in the east.

And yet they still only had 3 more points than the Sabres last year despite playing 2 more games. How many more points is Jake Allen going to get for them over Primeau, Lindgren and Kinkaid who went 3-5-3? The Sabres got 37 points from Ullmark and 31 points from the backups. Assuming everything is the same, Ullmark playing the same 58 games as Price would equate to 63 points. Add in 10 points from the backups and the Sabres would have had 73 points in 69 games to the Canadiens 71 points in 71 games.

 

[LongWayDown37]

MTL, Boston and the Sabers will be close, a few points apart in my opinion. It shouldn't be seen as a huge gap.

Once, I gave you a pass, but c'mon man. Sabres.

 

[LongWayDown37]

Buffalo's biggest problem at the moment is in goal. That might be what holds them back. The team has rounded out the forward group pretty well, and for the first time in years, I think we'll have healthy competition that should boost the bottom two lines. I think their defense is average, but good enough with a potential budding superstar. Hopeful for Ullmark, but its a huge question. I think his career probably winds up being a lower-end starter or 1b type - with spurts of excellent play that will boost a team at times.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

And yet they still only had 3 more points than the Sabres last year despite playing 2 more games. How many more points is Jake Allen going to get for them over Primeau, Lindgren and Kinkaid who went 3-5-3? The Sabres got 37 points from Ullmark and 31 points from the backups. Assuming everything is the same, Ullmark playing the same 58 games as Price would equate to 63 points. Add in 10 points from the backups and the Sabres would have had 73 points in 69 games to the Canadiens 71 points in 71 games.

I would expect Jake Allen to have a strong season, because I think he's a strong backup.

I certainly expect Jake Allen to get Montreal more than the 9 points the previous backups got

 

[Bedards Dad]

Once, I gave you a pass, but c'mon man. Sabres.

Autocorrect I guess. Also, not really all that important to me.

 

[Digable5]

I would expect Jake Allen to have a strong season, because I think he's a strong backup.

I certainly expect Jake Allen to get Montreal more than the 9 points the previous backups got

If I gave him a 5-3-3 record over the same stretch, the Canadiens have 4 more points and 75 points in 71 games to the Sabres 73 in 69 games. I think that is more than generous for Allen since Price only had 2 wins more than losses over 58 games.

Look, I'm not trying to bash the Canadiens. My point in this continued comparison is that they are not superior as a team to the Sabres based on last year's results. Then as you look at offseason moves I don't see where they differentiated themselves to be a more likely playoff team than the Sabres. One could argue that the Sabres have actually done more to improve based on comparable trades and signings as I laid out earlier.

A lot could still happen in the offseason (signings, trades, development and injuries) to change the outlook of all teams in the league and I think its too early to call the Sabres a lottery team.

 

[Djp]

If the division's did stay the same and they won't who is Buffalobetter than in the Metro?

Pittsburgh? maybe in 3 years but not now.

Washington? see Pittsburgh

Philadelphia? not with Carter Hart

Rangers? they have the best prospect pool AND a strong roster.

NYI? Not as long as Trotz is there

NJ? probably but even they have better goaltending.

Columbus? not with that defense.

as it stands Buffalo is better than NJ and that's probably it.

as for the Atlantic they aren't better than Toronto, Bostonm Tampa, Montreal or Florida adding Hall doesn't change that

Pittsburgh and Washington are older. Both lost one of thrir goalies.
Islanders lost players
Philadelphia is inconsistent. Hart is very young. If he goes on a losing streak the season us lost.
Islanders are older
Columbus has a lot of turnover
Rsngers sre young
Devils are young
Carolina in decent shape.

In a shortened season all bets are off. Historically more teams are close after 4 games before separation occurs or some teams have slow first 30 games. Other teams that started hit in first 30 fall but can still be in the playoffs...assuming not expanded. This past year Vsncouver has a strong start and slowly faded where in an 82 game season they might have missed the playoffs.

In the Atlantic buffalo and Montreal seemed to add the most of any teams .

Tampa has uncertain nay if without Stsmkos to start and they trade some players away. Thrn cup hangover effect too.

If the go with just 8 teams, wild card up for grabs by anyone.

In the metro because all teams are good you don’t have easy games thus it can draw everyone down, in the Atlantic there is rebuilding Ottawa and detroit who might be easier to play this bumping up everyone in the division by say 4 points.

With a 48 game schedule you might have no interconferrncr games.yiu might not have games outside your division.


For 8 team divisions you prbably have 6 games against eachother
With a 7 team division they play each other 7 times for 42 games

If more than 42 games could be still within division or random assignment games.

If the start mid January the season likely ends late April, then 9 weeks of playoffs. To end June/early July.

They want to be done before nbc has summer Olympics in mid July sending their crews out.

MTL, Boston and the Sabers will be close, a few points apart in my opinion. It shouldn't be seen as a huge gap.

Buffalo and Montreal have made some of the biggest changes of all teams and not been in the area of losing players. Both teams also have a young component so big jumps could occur.

With a short schedule it’s who goes on a hot streak their first half really matters.

 

[Daz28]

Makes sense to do 1 year for Reinhart. He can hope the market gets better next year...it’s not the best offseason to be taking long term deals.

Buffalo’s offseason next year is going to be something. Hall and Stall are UFA. Montour and McCabe too. Dahlin finishes his ELC and Reinhart and Joker are RFA.

You have to give Seattle whatever they want to select Okposo. 1st+

 

[Daz28]

Interesting. Means if he's not particularly happy with Buffalo he can just accept his QO and then walk the following off season, AND I think he's arbitration eligible next off season as well.

Risky move in some ways.

Sabres are doing this with a few contracts. If they have a great season, they're going to find it incredibly difficult to keep the band together. On the other hand, if they don't, their hands aren't tied. Hope you have a good GM