NHL
The Buffalo Sabres Have Added Size to Their Forward Depth But Not Much on Defense Outside of Rasmus Dahlin.
Have the Sabres gotten better?
The Buffalo Sabres were 31st in the NHL last season and won the Draft Lottery. By drafting Rasmus Dahlin, acquiring five forwards and one defenseman via trade, and signing a wildcard starter in Carter Hutton, how will the Sabres look and in what areas did they improve?
Additions
The big addition is Jeff Skinner who was received in a trade between the Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes (see details here). In 82 games with Carolina, Jeff Skinner scored 24 goals and added 25 assists for 49 points. Skinner did suffer a drop in ice time but will most likely see more time on the ice next year on a line with Jack Eichel. The other forward additions are Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, Conor Sheary, and Tage Thompson. They have combined for a total of 96 points (49 goals, 47 assists) all of last season.
Rasmus Dahlin was drafted first overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and is a highly touted Swedish defenseman that can be compared to Niklas Lidstrom. In 41 games with Frölunda HC of the SHL, Dahlin scored 7 goals and had 13 assists. Rasmus Dahlin will most likely play on the top defensive pair. Matt Hunwick was acquired by trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hunwick had 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in 42 games with the Penguins last year and will be a strong bottom pairing d-man for the Sabres this year.
Buffalo signed Carter Hutton to a 3-year $8.25 million ($2.75 million AAV) to fill in between the pipes. Hutton started 32 games last year with the St. Louis Blues and lead the NHL in GAA (2.09) and Save Percentage (.931). The Buffalo Sabres are giving Carter Hutton his first chance at the Starter role in his career.
Subtractions
On July 1st the St. Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres made a deal sending Ryan O’Reilly to the Blues. O’Reilly totaled 61 points (24 G, 37 A) in 81 games. Buffalo moved O’Reilly just hours before they were to pay his $7.5 million signing bonus. The Buffalo Sabres failed to re-sign Benoit Pouliot. Pouliot scored 13 goals and assisted 6 times for a total of 19 points. Benoit Pouliot is still an unsigned free agent.
Josh Gorges is the only defenseman the Sabres did not resign. Gorges tallied just 2 assists in 34 games.
Between the pipes, Buffalo lost Robin Lehner and Chad Johnson. Combined the two had a total of 24 wins.
Where the Buffalo Sabres Stand
After adding and subtracting, the Buffalo Sabres lost 82 player points but gained 175 (adding Dahlin’s points from his last season in the SHL) for a Net-Gain total of 93 points. Between the pipes, the Sabres lost 25 wins but added 17 wins with Carter Hutton. That is a Net-Gain of -8 wins which is not too great but Hutton had three more wins than Buffalo’s previous starter in Robin Lehner who had 14 wins.
Although Carter Hutton raised some eyebrows last year, I do not expect him to have another brow raising season. There is not much in front of him in terms of defense. This being the case, I do not see the Buffalo Sabres in the playoff picture come March. However, I also do not see the Sabres at the bottom of the NHL.
With the additions and subtractions made this offseason by the Jason Botterill, the Sabres have indeed gotten a little bit better, but not a full 180. I feel it is very safe to say the Buffalo Sabres will finish in 6th place in the Atlantic Division.
Follow Jared on Twitter at: @jared_pettus_00
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