Sabres Continue to Climb in Playoff Picture & The Need for Speed
Also, a look back at the trade deadline action and potential captain candidates.
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Buffalo Sabres newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Sabres writers.
In today’s edition, we feature a highlight on the Sabres’ speedy defense corps, a piece on their newly-found home-game improvements, an article about potential suitors for the captaincy, and a trade deadline recap. Please share this free substack with your hockey and Sabres fan friends and family so they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest.
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Let’s get into the good stuff…
Islanders & Sabres Highlight Importance of Speed at the Blue Line
March 14, 2024 by Mike Fink
The New York Islanders matchup against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night has suddenly become pivotal in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Islanders with six wins in a row before their March 11 loss to the Los Angeles Kings have leaped into the final wild-card spot. The Sabres, meanwhile, have struggled throughout the season, yet with two wins in a row, and seven wins in their last 11 games, they are only five points out of a playoff berth.
Sabres’ Home-Ice Improvements Coming During Critical Stretch
March 14, 2024 by Harper Cotie
Former NHL general manager (GM) Gord Stellick has a great line about losing, and for the last two seasons, these current Buffalo Sabres have been much better on the road than they’ve been at home. For a fan base that hasn’t seen playoff hockey in 12 years, being bad at KeyBank Center is simply not an option, but thankfully right now, they’re winning these games late in the season at home.
2 Candidates for the Sabres’ Captaincy
March 13, 2024 by Harper Cotie
It’s never easy to part ways with the captain of your team, but that’s exactly what the Buffalo Sabres did by sending forward Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers before the NHL’s trade deadline on March 8. Sabres general manager (GM) Kevyn Adams was visibly emotional last week while talking to the media about Okposo and said there’s no rush to name a new captain. However, it’s only natural to look ahead and identify who could potentially be the 21st in the history of this franchise. Here are the two candidates.
Grading the Sabres’ 2023-24 Trade Deadline Acquisitions
March 9, 2024 by Jacob D. Strozyk
It was a fairly tame trade deadline this season overall, and Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams followed suit. Only making a handful of deals, he brought in a couple of draft picks, a minor league defender, and a top-end young defender to round out their defensive core. With most of the teams around them buying key assets, the Sabres made moves to improve now and later, which is exactly how they should be looking to improve.
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