Friday 5: Sabres Fan Pre-Season Wishlist
Welcome to the first edition of the Friday 5. A five pack of Sabres content from past, present and in this case future. We are opening this new feature with a Fan Pre-Season Wishlist. These are my five biggest wishes headed into this new season. Just like every team’s goal at the start of the season should be the Stanley Cup, it should be on every fans wish list, so I tried to leave some of the more obvious things out of this week’s picks. Let’s kick it off with none other than the captain.
Rasmus Repeats Norris Nomination
I am going to start with one that is less of a wish, but more of expectation. Rasmus Dahlin had an incredibly difficult year off the ice last year. On the ice, he managed to solidify himself as one of the best defenceman in the league. A career high in points and plus/minus catapulted Dahlin into the top three in Norris Trophy voting for leagues best defenceman. The Sabres captain should be able to repeat if not improve on last season as long he can continue to stay healthy.
30+ Goals for Quinn
Now, I don’t want to jump ahead, but assuming Jack Quinn is with the Sabres and not used as a trade chip (we’ll get to that), every fan of the Blue and Gold should be hoping this is the season Quinn emerges as a legitimate goal scoring threat. 20 goals, over 50 points and positive on the year end plus/minus is exactly the direction Jack Quinn needed to step toward last season. Most importantly, he stayed healthy playing all 82 games, the first time the young forward has done that in his career.
The Sabres will need internal improvement from most of its forward group to give themselves their best shot at repeating the team's performance last season. Quinn finding his scoring touch and contributing at least 30 goals, something his performance in Junior suggests he is plenty capable of, is a wish with a reasonable chance of coming true.
A Young Centre Emerges
Buffalo fans have become acquainted with a trio of young potential centres over the last few seasons. Konsta Helenius found his way into nine regular season games last year and more impressively found his way on to the scoreboard with two goals in four post season appearances with the Sabres last year. Noah Ostlund played 60 games with the big club and had an impactful, albeit short lived, playoff stint before an injury against the Bruins. The Sabres lost Jiri Kulich for the season after just 12 games last year, but the year prior he posted 24 points in 62 games in his age 20 season.
To expect all three to become full time, line driving centres next year for Buffalo is probably asking too much. But if one of Helenius, Ostlund or Kulich can show they are on the path toward being a legitimate top 6, dare I dream, top line centre, then Buffalo will find themselves in a great position to not only maintain but improve upon the performance last year’s team had, without a bonafide number one centre (sorry Tage).
Conference Finals Trip
The Sabres were one goal away last year. A game 7 loss at home in OT to Montreal in a game most would agree Buffalo was the better team would have been downright devastating to the fan base in most years. After ending a lengthy playoff drought with an incredibly likeable team, I don’t think Sabres fans were truly as heartbroken as their playoff exit should have constituted on paper.
The one thing it does do though is raise expectations. Repeating a second round defeat this season wouldn’t necessarily be a failure, especially when you consider the reliance on younger pieces to fill in the contributions of the departed Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram as a collective. Why not be greedy though? As it stands, it’s probably beyond wishful thinking for Sabres fans to expect this team in the cup finals, but if everything goes their way, is it unreasonable to wish for Buffalo to be one of the final four teams? I don’t think so, especially if this final wish comes true.
Finish the Hellebuyck Trade
This one feels like the biggest pipe dream. The situation between the pipes as is… fine. I don’t think UPL or Lyon are going to threaten for a Vezina in Buffalo, but they will give you serviceable and stable regular season goaltending. The tandem pair is great, and having Ellis there gives the Sabres depth. Now, do I trust any of the three rostered goalies to steal me a game in a must win playoff series? Not specifically. Connor Hellebuyck on the other hand, is almost a sure thing.
Sabres fans should wish for GMJK to circle back to the Jets and get the deal done. There is no question that this is a deal that may cost the Sabres a lot. Maybe Quinn, maybe one of those three young centres I mentioned, definitely Radim Mrtka and at least one goalie off the roster. To me, any combination of those assets plus picks, is worth it. Hellebuyck all but guarantees the Sabres a playoff spot and while his playoff performances have left a lot to be desired amongst Jets fans, there is a significant international hockey moment that should erase any doubt that with the right team in front of him, in a one game must win situation, Connor Hellebuyck can get it done. Plus, trading for Hellebuyck ensures none of your competitors have him.
The Sabres will hit the ice for training camp September 17th, what are you wishing for this season?
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