Let’s now take a closer look at each team’s defensemen.
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The former Boston Terrier has been the center of the excitement of fans around the team since he was drafted; he’s been pegged as the future of the organization. It’s the beginning of “the Next Chapter” in the book that is the history of the Buffalo Sabres, but it’s only the first paragraph of the first page.
Several young Senators now know they belong.
What Sabres GM Tim Murray did with the roster up front this calendar year is remarkable.
This issue is widely known as tanking, which can be used to describe a hockey club who purposely loses games in order to increase their chances at a higher draft pick. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of my whole life; stepping foot on that ice and making the National Hockey League. Rob Blake could’ve given me a 10-minute talk and I probably wouldn’t have heard a word he was saying just because the nerves and the adrenaline and the excitement of playing your game”. One bona fide top-four defensemen went out in one trade while another potential top-four d-man was sent in another one. It’s a near-term hit with possible long-term consequences if the Sabres once deep prospect pool on defense doesn’t reach expectations.
Stability in net might be a bit away. If nothing else, at least the Sabres will be fun to watch. The 25-year-old said he’d been thinking about it and decided it was time, plus it was better to deal with the attention before the start of the regular season.
Eichel had been wearing 41 for the Sabres since the team’s development camp back in July. Those previous guys haven’t made a sizable enough impact to get the Oil back into the playoffs. Kane’s a former 30-goal scorers who’s turning the page in his own book. I know how important it is to take on a young player, it’s a big change. However with Bylsma improving things from an X’s and O’s standpoint and the improved talent with Eichel, Kane, and Franson joining the unit they figure to be substantially better. [NHL] Goalies are so much better than junior goalies or college goalies and there’s just such a big gap in between goaltending. No doubt Ristolainen has all the tools plus the internal drive to be that guy, but the question of “when” comes to the fore.
There’s also hard-hitting, playmaking forward Evander Kane, who was sidelined by a season-ending shoulder injury in February when Buffalo acquired him and defenseman Zach Bogosian in a trade with Winnipeg. Eichel spent time in the preseason on a line with Moulson and Girgensons.
“I had never seen him play live until I got to camp here”, Kane said. An improvement for sure, but a late fade looks to be in the cards for them unless McDavid really is McJesus. He’s one of the best players in the league.
The coaching staff is brand new beginning with Bylsma and his up-tempo style.
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Now, he’s ready for a fresh start in Pittsburgh and he’ll get to ride shotgun with the best player in the world, Sidney Crosby. “I think it’s tough for anyone to say any one thing to you when you’re playing your first game”. Allen will have a few pretty big shoes to fill as he replaces the departed Arturs Irbe. You betcha. After watching the boring mess that was the last two years, 6-5 and 4-3 losses will be welcome with open arms compared to the ugly, snooze-fest losses last season. The nature of the team’s rapid rebuild makes it hard to predict just how well they will do this season. Either way, suspicions arose past year, and will arise again this season, especially among the NHL’s worst clubs. Then we come to Montreal, who honestly is only as good as Carey Price plays, they should be near the top but if he slips then they merely become an average team (I call it the Andrew Luck effect). Next up is Toronto Maple Leafs close-quarter rival, the Buffalo Sabres. It’s also possible they could finish higher than the Philadelphia Flyers, but other than that, every other team in the conference is stronger than Buffalo.
