Well, the Buffalo Bills season came to an unfortunate end after a tragic playoff loss.
But, at least we still have the Sabres who are only *checks notes* 17 points out of a playoff spot.
By the Numbers 📊
Record: 13-21-7 (33 points) | Division: 6th | League: 28th
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 44.4% (30th in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 44.5% (26th in the NHL)
Quick Hits
Casey Mittelstadt and Zemgus Girgensons return to the Sabres’ lineup
Kyle Okposo likely to return by the end of the week
Jack Quinn out for 4 to 6 weeks with a lower-body injury
Brett Murray re-assigned to the Rochester Americans (AHL)
Alex Tuch: An all-around hockey player
Alex Tuch has been an absolute breathe of fresh air since his debut in the Sabres’ lineup. Just an all-around talent at forward that the team really lacked in the beginning of their 2021/22 campaign.
Tuch has recorded an impressive 10 points in 9 games in Buffalo this season. He boasts a 50.7 xGF% at 5v5 in a short time span where the 5th best 5v5 xGF% on the roster is only 42.9% (Tage Thompson).
Oh and according to Evolving-Hockey, he ranks 2nd in Goals Above Replacement (GAR) on the Sabres despite only appearing in 9 games!
It’s difficult to imagine a much better start to Alex Tuch’s time in Buffalo. He’s been a positive impact player in all three zones.
At 25 years old, he looks to be a perfect transitionary piece as the Sabres attempt to go from a young rebuilding team to a playoff contender over these next few seasons.
Tuch has quickly established a rapport with Sabres fans. He’s a high-character athlete who has ties to the WNY area. He’s pretty darn good at hockey too.
He’s got a bit of something for everyone. The hockey purists love the way he sees the game. The grit enjoyers love the way he battles for pucks with his 6’4” frame. The analytics people love his underlying numbers.
I think the set-up on this goal best sums up the Tuch era in Buffalo so far:
Week of Firsts
What a week it was for the young guns down in Buffalo, a week that saw plenty of firsts.
Things kicked off on Thursday vs. Dallas when Jack Quinn netted his 1st career NHL goal in only his 2nd career NHL game. Just a beautiful power-play goal with an elite dish and an elite finish:
Saturday afternoon’s game against Philadelphia saw Peyton Krebs get his stick on a Henri Jokiharju point shot for his 1st career NHL goal:
Krebs also managed to score a pretty nifty one later that same game:
We will be seeing a lot more from these two in Sabres uniforms in the future. Unfortunately, we have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for Quinn after his injury. But exciting times ahead nonetheless!
The long-awaited return of Casey Mittelstadt
Casey Mittelstadt is a player who has fallen victim to the injury bug this season, only seeing 62 total minutes of ice time this season.
His return provides the Sabres with another center which allows them to have a bit more flexibility in their winger-heavy forward group. Don Granato has opted to push Peyton Krebs on to the wing on a line with Mittelstadt playing down the middle:
This interesting trio of players could just work. Bjork has shown the ability to play up in the lineup under Don Granato and maybe the Sabres’ heaviest forechecker. Krebs has some fantastic playmaking ability, so maybe he gets Mittelstadt to unlock his shot a bit more?
Casey Mittelstadt was the Tage Thompson of the 2020/21 season: a remarkable improvement while on the verge of being written off as a future NHL talent. It will be interesting to see how his game continues to grow in Don Granato’s system.
Levi, Power named to Team Canada’s Olympics roster
The men’s hockey at the 2022 Winter Olympics may be significantly less interesting without NHL participation, but it may have gotten a bit more interesting for Sabres fans.
Devon Levi and Owen Power will be heading to Beijing to represent Team Canada. They are two of the three current NCAA players who are featured on the roster.
Devon Levi will be in a battle for starts in Canada’s net. The frontrunner at the goalie position is likely Eddie Pasquale, a former NHLer who boasts a .916 SV% for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL.
Levi has hit a bit of a rough patch over his past four NCAA starts, giving up 12 goals on his last 106 shots faced. However, his overall track record this season is still impressive and he is tied for the NCAA lead in SV% at .948.
Owen Power is, well, Owen Power. He has been living up to his hype as the 1st overall pick on a very fun Michigan squad. He was moved up to Canada’s top pair at the 2021 World Championships, so he shouldn’t have a problem finding ice time on this team.
Maybe we’ll even get to see a Power-Demers pairing?
The “Goathead” is back with a twist
The Buffalo Sabres alternate jersey for next season recently leaked and it is definitely a beauty. The famous “goathead” logo is back with an updated look:
Game Preview: Buffalo Sabres @ Ottawa Senators, 1/18/22
Two of the powerhouses in the Atlantic are back at it again
Senators By The Numbers
Record: 12-20-3 (27 points) | Division: 7th | League: 30th
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 46.6% (25th in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 45.7% (22nd in the NHL)
Scouting the Senators
High-Volume Hockey: we saw the Sens pour the shots on the Sabres in their last matchup. It’s also a pretty good matchup for the Sabres to continue their hot streak on offense since the Sens give up a lot too
Win the Neutral Zone: the Sens transition game thrives on the “long ball” up to the forwards. Don’t let them get away with that
Players to Watch
Casey Mittelstadt (BUF): probably not a better player to put here as he had an intriguing 2020/21 season, but we’ve barely gotten to see him this season. I think the Krebs-Mittelstadt-Bjork line could work
Drake Batherson (OTT): one of the more underrated young wingers in today’s game, Batherson was absolutely fantastic his last time out against the Sabres. He’s always driving dangerous chances on offense