Fresh off another missed run at the playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres, and their fans expected big moves during the offseason. The rebuild has gone on too long and through too many incarnations to tolerate another mediocre offseason.
Related: 4 Reasons the Buffalo Sabres Can Make the Playoffs
But then not much happened. In the end, this might be a good thing for the Sabres. They will lean heavily on a few players to get the team over the hump and back into the playoffs. Despite the lack of blockbuster moves, this might have been a quality offseason for Buffalo.
Sabres’ Offseason Expectations
Heading into the offseason, the focus was centered on the NHL Draft. Though it wasn’t the trade everyone anticipated, they moved the 11th overall pick to the San Jose Sharks for their 14th overall pick and an additional second-rounder (defenseman Adam Kleber). They then took standout Finnish forward Konsta Helenius with that pick.
The blockbuster trade never came. Management’s biggest move was shipping prospect Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in return for center Ryan McCleod and prospect Tyler Tullio. The deal left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths. So much time and attention had been paid to potential moves the Sabres could have made. Instead, they mostly stood pat, took the best player available in the draft, and transformed the bottom six through trades and free agency.
Sabres Chose the Right Path
In the end, it may have been the smartest move. The Sabres have a deep, talented forward corps with players like Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and J.J. Peterka. A huge shake-up to the top six was unrealistic, but avoiding a massive change was also the best course of action.
Sabres Keep Prospect Pool Deep
Even without Savoie and Zach Benson – who already has a season under his belt and will be back in 2024-25 – from the rankings, the Sabres have one of the best prospect pools in the league. Taking the best player available, Helenius, added another very good prospect to the list.
While there are certainly arguments to be made that there is only so much room available, having too many good prospects is never a bad thing. The best of a group featuring Helenius, Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, Isak Rosen, and others will have had to earn a place with the Sabres.
More importantly, these talented prospects provide the franchise with flexibility, allowing them to…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…