Can the Sabres make the playoffs?

[Eternal Leaf]

I don't know about the playoffs, but they will start 10-0. It's guaranteed.

 

[Voight]

I doubt it with the goaltending they have.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Then Buffalo is likely in a division with NYR, NYI, NJD, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington and Boston

New Jersey aside that is murders row.

If Buffalo gets placed in that division, or anything close to that they haven't got a shot, they are better than New Jersey but that's it and even then New Jersey has a better goalie tandem

Alright. I can see that's a tougher road to navigate than simply pushing oneself into the third spot in the Atlantic.

Still, Boston ought to regress some with their long-term injuries...the question is how much? Pittsburg and Philadelphia looked rather weak in the play-in/playoffs...maybe that's a sign of regular season regression there as well. The NYI and NYR should be decent...but I doubt that either will be spectacular.

Then there's the unknown of playing in what's basically a new division rivaling new teams. Sometimes a change of scenery works wonders on a team.

There's a lot of meaningful talent in Buffalo. As was previously mentioned, Buffalo has past history going on some impressive winning runs. It's really not that hard to make the playoffs...statistically an average team comes close/makes it.(16 out of 32 teams)

I'll still say it comes down to hunger. Want it badly enough? Take it.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Alright. I can see that's a tougher road to navigate than simply pushing oneself into the third spot in the Atlantic.

Still, Boston ought to regress some with their long-term injuries...the question is how much? Pittsburg and Philadelphia looked rather weak in the play-in/playoffs...maybe that's a sign of regular season regression there as well. The NYI and NYR should be decent...but I doubt that either will be spectacular.

Then there's the unknown of playing in what's basically a new division rivaling new teams. Sometimes a change of scenery works wonders on a team.

There's a lot of meaningful talent in Buffalo. As was previously mentioned, Buffalo has past history going on some impressive winning runs. It's really not that hard to make the playoffs...statistically an average team comes close/makes it.(16 out of 32 teams)

I'll still say it comes down to hunger. Want it badly enough? Take it.

Even if they somehow managed to stay in the Atlantic would you really take Ullmark and Hutton over.

Vasi and Mac?

Price and Allen?

Andersen, Campbell and Dell?

Rask and Halak?

Bobvorsky?

Murray Nilsson and Hogberg?

Probably not, even if Andersen, Bob, and Murry had off years they better goalies than Ullmark and Hutton, hell even Detroit has Greiss and Bernier.

The Argument can be made Buffalo has the weakest goaltending in the regular Atlantic and maybe even the entire east

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Even if they somehow managed to stay in the Atlantic would you really take Ullmark and Hutton over.

Vasi and Mac?

Price and Allen?

Andersen, Campbell and Dell?

Rask and Halak?

Bobvorsky?

Murray Nilsson and Hogberg?

Probably not, even if Andersen, Bob, and Murry had off years they better goalies than Ullmark and Hutton, hell even Detroit has Greiss and Bernier.

The Argument can be made Buffalo has the weakest goaltending in the regular Atlantic and maybe even the entire east

Obviously goaltending is not a real strength for Buffalo.

Still, Buffalo was 30-31-8 last season. If they flip 6 of those loses into wins...that's a record of 36-25-8 and that puts them comfortably right smack in the running for a playoff berth last season. 6 games. Figuring 98 points as the playoff cutoff in a more usual 82 game season, Buffalo was all of 12ish points off at 69 games played from where they needed to be last season to be a legitimate playoff contender in 2020.

I simply don't think it's that hard for a team, especially a team with the overall talent that Buffalo has currently, to step up from a roughly .500 team to a playoff team.

Will they? That's another question.