Ten wins in a row, first in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres have been the hottest team in the league. Is this success going to last?
The Buffalo Sabres have been at the bottom of the league for the last five years, which has given them the opportunity to draft extremely well. Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Rasmus Dahlin are just some of the high-end players they have drafted over the past five years.
Now these players are leading their team on the best run Sabres’ fans have seen in years. Eichel leads the team in points with 30 points and is tied for fourth in the NHL in assists. Trade acquisition Jeff Skinner is tied for second in the league with 19 goals and both their goalies have been stellar.
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A problem that plagued the Sabres for a long time was their inconsistent goaltending. However, this season, Carter Hutton has a .920 save percentage and a 12-6 record.
Meanwhile, backup goaltender Linus Ullmark has a .926 save percentage and has yet to lose in regulation, with a 4-0-1 record. It’s safe to say that this problem has been resolved.
"“We’re two fun-loving guys that don’t take things way too serious. We know when to relax, we know when to push each other, kind of the same mentality when it comes to hockey.” – Ullmark"
The team’s easy-going attitude allows them to play relaxed and to not sweat anything too much. They are self-confident and even when they are trailing in a game, they know that they have the ability to storm back in the game. The fact that their goaltenders have been so reliable allows the defence to take more chances as they trust their goalie to bail them out if necessary.
The Skinner trade has paid dividends for the Sabres. Back in August, the Sabres traded prospect Cliff Pu and two draft picks to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Skinner. Every day, that trade looks better and better, as Skinner continues to tear the league.
0The teams they played during this hot streak have not been easy either. Recently, they’ve beaten the Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, and the Winnipeg Jets, just to name a few. Obviously, the Sabres are not going to go undefeated for the rest of the season, but the stability of their goaltenders along with their young rising stars will make them a force for the years to come.