Sabres’ Young Core Providing Reason for Optimism

3 years ago  /  The Hockey Writers  /  Read Time: 3 minutes 50 seconds

• The Buffalo Sabres’ 2-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday dropped their record to 12-27-7 (31 points), keeping them in the number 31 spot in the overall standings that they’ve seemingly occupied since the 2020-21 season began.
• After losing their first six games under interim head coach Don Granato, the Sabres have gone 6-4-2 in their last 12 games, including impressive wins over the playoff-bound Washington Capitals (5-2 on April 15) and Pittsburgh Penguins (4-2 on April 18).
• The Sabres entered the 2020-21 season with a good mix of youth and experience.
• But with the massive amount of roster turnover over the course of the campaign, the team has been forced in recent weeks to rely heavily on players with very little experience.
• While every player would rather be in the midst of a playoff hunt, the lack of pressure has provided a sense of freedom to the players (not to mention not having to play in former coach Ralph Krueger’s rigid defensive system).
• Nobody on the Sabres was having a good season under Krueger, but what was most concerning was how poorly the young players were performing.
• Thompson and Mittelstadt were looking like busts who, like everyone else on the team, couldn’t find the back of the net to save their lives.
• Under Granato: 68 games played: 17 goals, 15 assists, 32 points, plus-0.
• The good news is that they already have a bit of a blueprint for what next season’s team could look like.
• If Mittelstadt and Cozens continue on their upward trajectories, Buffalo could actually have three reliable options at center for once.Kris Baker@SabresProspectsA few more players and a new goal song and the Sabres might be in business3:10 PM · Apr 18, 2021852.

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