Questions the Buffalo Sabres Need to Answer for Upcoming Season
With yet another disappointing season in the books for the Buffalo Sabres, the team has a lot of questions to answer. The team answered one through the return of head coach Lindy Ruff, but there are still a lot of question marks heading into 2024-25.
Who Will be Captain?
Since the team traded Kyle Okposo back in March, the captaincy has remained vacant. According to Elite Prospects, the Sabres had the youngest team in the NHL in 2023-24. With so many young players on the roster, the next captain will hopefully wear the “C” for a long time. The last time the Sabres had the same captain for more than three seasons was Pat LaFontaine in the ‘90s. The top contenders for the captaincy appear to be Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch. Dahlin, the 24-year-old defenseman from Lidkoping, Sweden, already has three All-Star appearances under his belt as well as a trifecta of 50+ point seasons. Tuch, the 28-year-old Syracuse native, hasn’t been on the team as long as Dahlin but quickly became a fan favorite since his debut in late 2021.
How Can Top Forwards Improve?
Last year was definitely a disappointment for most of the top-six forwards in Buffalo. The highest-scoring forwards in 2022-23 were Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Tuch and Dylan Cozens, respectively. All four of them had down years, which led to the team releasing Skinner and replacing him with Jason Zucker, who hasn’t scored 30+ goals since 2018. The offense tailed off mightily from ‘22-23 to ‘23-24, going from third in goals scored to 22nd. Surprisingly, the team finished just seven points out of a playoff spot despite their lackluster scoring. Clearly, this will have to change if they hope to secure a playoff spot next season.
Who’s Getting Called Up?
The Sabres have been accruing elite, young talent over the years. Dahlin, Cozens, Owen Power, JJ Peterka, Bowen Byram, Jack Quinn, Zach Benson, and Ryan Johnson are all 24 years old or younger; however, the team may have more assets than they need. Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, Matt Savoie, Isak Rosen, and Lukas Rousek all should be ready to play in the NHL soon. With only so many spots on Buffalo’s roster, the team may need to cut ties with some prospects.
How Long is Adams’ Leash?
Kevyn Adams relieved Don Granato of his duties and swiftly hired replacement Lindy Ruff. However, that signals that Adams may be next on the chopping block if the team continues their playoff drought. Adams, the fifth-longest-tenured GM in Sabres history, has never made the playoffs. He passed John Muckler in seniority earlier this year, the ‘90s GM who accrued a division title and three playoff appearances. He seemed determined to improve in the offseason press conference, saying, “We just flat out weren’t good enough this year.” However, Adams needs to secure a playoff berth to keep his position.
Will UPL’s Contract Be Worth It?
Last season, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen put up arguably the best season by a Buffalo netminder since Ryan Miller’s 2011-12 season. Knowing that they have their hands on a young, talented goaltender, the Sabres decided to keep him in Buffalo. The 25-year-old Finn signed a five-year, $23.75 million contract. After making just $837,500 a year, the 6-foot-5 netminder got a substantial raise. UPL performed great, given the lackluster defense. According to naturalstattrick, the Sabres finished in the bottom 10 in expected goals allowed and finished 11th-best in goals allowed per game.
It’s known that Luukkonen is capable of performing at an elite level, but can he replicate it? Before last season, Luukkonen’s career numbers were mediocre: 20-19-6 record with a .897 save percentage, 3.47 goals-against average, and zero shutouts. His season shouldn’t be discredited, but Luukkonen’s contract is a gamble since he hasn’t strung together two consistent seasons yet.
