It’s no secret that the Buffalo Sabres are at something of a crossroads. Some had general manager Kevyn Adams on the hot seat a year ago; that has only amplified with yet another year of failure. Getting back to the playoffs is priority No. 1 in Buffalo and has been a pivotal offseason for the Sabres.
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The Sabres came oh-so-close to making the postseason in 2022-23, falling just short in the final days. That is why it was so disappointing to see the team and so many individuals on it falter as they did during the 2023-24 season. If they are going to get back to the playoffs, they are going to need to lean on a few pivotal players. Who are the most important players to their playoff hopes?
The Honorable Mentions
While the Sabres need to allow young players like Zach Benson to shine, there are plenty of other names that have major importance. For instance, the team desperately needs Jack Quinn and Mattias Samuelsson to stay healthy.
Getting rebounds from guys like Owen Power, Alex Tuch, and others will be essential as well. Having Rasmus Dahlin take that next step to becoming a Norris Trophy candidate would be a nice boost. But in the end, these are the three names that will play the biggest role in getting the Sabres over the hump and back into the playoffs.
Dylan Cozens
Coming into 2023-24, Dylan Cozens appeared to be a focal point for the future of the Sabres. Coming off a career year in which he scored 31 goals and registered 68 points as a 21-year-old, his seven-year, $49.70 million contract seemed like a bargain.
What a difference a year makes. Like virtually everyone on the roster, Cozens took a big step back. He fell to 18 goals and 47 points, often physically overmatched and getting pushed around. Though he is just 22 years old, many began to question whether he could be the caliber of second-line center the team had originally believed they had.
Cozens rebounded with a fantastic World Championship performance in the offseason. He is saying all the right things about wanting to be stronger and tougher to play against. If the Sabres are going to finally get past this hump and back into the playoffs, he is going to need to rebound in a major way.
Tage Thompson
You can count Tage Thompson as one of the many Sabres to have taken a major step back in 2023-24. He battled a litany of injuries, most notably a hand injury suffered in November. Though he returned about a month later, it was clear that he wasn’t quite the same.
After a rough January and February, Thompson began to show signs of his old form midway through March. He slumped the final handful of games to finish out the season, but it’s hard to argue with a stretch that saw him score a goal in eight of 14 games from March 9 through April 7. He finished the season with 21 points in 18 games, racking up several multi-point games in the process.
Provided he is healthy, there is no reason to expect another down year from Thompson. As he goes, the offense goes, and a return to form could see a return of the high-flying Sabres of two seasons ago. He has the high-end skillset of an elite NHL center and the ability to finish like few others. Who will slot in on his left side remains to be seen, but a bounce back from Thompson will likely bring a few others (looking at you, Alex Tuch) along with him.
Ukko-Pekko Luukkonen
Ukko-Pekko Luukkonen was one of the few bright spots for the team last season. From Jan. 1 through the end of the season, he was clearly one of the best goaltenders in the league. He took over the starting role and handled the bulk of the work, starting 51 games en route to a 27-22-4 overall record.
Luukkonen was rewarded with a five-year, $23.75 million contract in the offseason. Both sides feel good about the deal and he now moves into the season as the undisputed starter for the first time in his career.
It will be critical for Luukkonen to demonstrate that he didn’t have a flukey four-month stretch. Team defense will undoubtedly be better under head coach Lindy Ruff, which should prove beneficial for Luukkonen. He will need to be at his best if the Sabres are going to capitalize on their potential once and for all.
It’s Now or Never
We’ve heard it a million times by now, but the simple fact of the matter is that it is now time for the Sabres to figuratively crap or get off the pot. Pressure has perhaps never been higher for an individual team to make the playoffs, but here we are.
If the Sabres get off to a slow start, it is going to be a nightmare for the team. Digging out of a hole will only make the challenge that much more difficult. If these three players are at their best, they should do enough to drag the rest of the group with them.
Hopefully, by this time next summer, we can talk about how the Sabres can make a deep playoff run for the first time in nearly two decades.
