The Buffalo Sabres are holding on to a singular playoff hope by a thread, so the likelihood that they make it to the postseason is infinitesimal. The sliver of hope they are clinging to will not be enough, as they will extend their drought to a disheartening 13 years. As they close out their season in these last few games, there are a few things they should focus on to gear themselves up for the offseason and the 2024-25 regular season.
Find Offense, No Matter the Cost
It is no secret that the Sabres have struggled to score compared to last season, and several factors contribute to that. The first issue is the lack of consistency from their top forwards. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Jeff Skinner, and Dylan Cozens have regressed this season, and despite having decent numbers, they just haven’t been good enough regularly. This season, they have combined for a total of 84 goals and 187 points compared to last season, when they combined for 149 goals and 323 points. With their production alone being cut nearly in half, the Sabres have struggled to find any offensive consistency throughout the season.
They need to focus on getting them back up to speed, finding out what chemistry, line combination, or strategy best maximizes their abilities, and starting to implement it so they can refine it over the summer and come out swinging in October. So far, the adjustment of adding JJ Peterka to the top line with Thompson and Tuch has worked well, so they can build on that. Now they need to get Skinner and Cozens going with different linemates.
The other issue has been the sad excuse for what they call a power play. In 2022-23, they had one of the best in the league, even sitting third at one point. This season has been the exact opposite. It has been a rinse-and-repeat cycle of boring perimeter play, and a constant feeding of Thompson for a one-timer that is so telegraphed. Alex Ovechkin is probably demanding royalties from him now, and almost nobody is ever going to the front of the net. The Sabres’ power play has been so predictable and bad that fans booed them on home ice just for the puck leaving the zone. Fixing the power play starts with the assistant coach assigned to running it, and for the Sabres, that is Matt Ellis. So far, he has failed to adjust, and the Sabres need to re-evaluate who runs the man advantage or fire the man who does and start over next season.
Sabres Must Encourage Devon Levi’s Development
While they have him called up to the NHL, the Sabres need to actually give Devon Levi playing time. While Ukko Pekka Luukkonen is the bona fide starter right now, they should still consider the long-term effects of possibly having two top-tier goalies on their bench. Levi was sent down to Rochester a few months ago to get as much playing time as possible, and he was doing very well.
While there, he posted an 11-5-3 record, along with a 2.52 goals-against average (GAA) and a .927 save percentage (SV%). Since he has been called back to the Sabres, he has played in three games; one a win, the other a tough loss, and the other coming in relief of Luukkonen. He has been a solid presence in goal for them and is a more capable backup than Eric Comrie, but if the season is hanging by a thread, it is time to give him the reins and get him some games or send him back to Rochester to be in a starting position once again. Setting up the tandem of Luukkonen and Levi for 2024-25 is paramount if the Sabres want any stability in the net next season. Luukkonen’s emergence has been a godsend and is truly the only reason they aren’t bottom dwellers this season. If they can develop Levi correctly, they could have a Linus Ullmark/Jeremy Swayman tandem on their hands in the near future.
Kevyn Adams Needs to Assess Don Granato
As the season has progressed, the heat on head coach Don Granato has grown in the last few weeks. All season long, it has been a back-and-forth of Granato having zero ability to adjust and having his team look like the Sabres of last season. The inconsistencies have run rampant all season long, and that falls on the coaching staff more than anything. The players are to blame for poor performances, yes, but the systems that the coaches have in place are the root of the problem. In the last few games of the season, general manager Kevyn Adams needs to really take a look at how the team plays and determine if Granato is the right man for the job.
Making a coaching change right now would not make much sense, but making it when the season ends would allow them to make the needed moves in free agency and the draft. Should Adams decide to keep Granato behind the bench, there needs to be a new understanding. Granato should be on thin ice considering what the expectations were coming into this season. Anything besides a hot start in 2024-25 should result in an early dismissal if the Sabres are serious about progress and making the playoffs.
All Focus Should Be On How to Make the Playoffs in 2024-25
The Sabres have been so focused on development and “progress” that they failed to remember that they have to win games for either to be proof of either. Next season should not be about learning lessons for these young players, but rather, it should be about making them winners. They have the skills and roster makeup to be a great team, and now the coaching staff needs to maximize all of that to make them just that.
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Their focus should solely be on making the playoffs, and if there are no signs of going in that direction, they need to make any needed changes sooner rather than later. Whether that means changing coaches, changing core players, or bringing in a big free agent acquisition in the offseason, the end of this season needs to show significant signs of a newfound winning mentality. Between the players, the general manager, and the coaching staff, there is plenty of blame to be tossed around for this season’s failures. The only thing they can do now is focus and make the best of what is left.
