It has been years since the Buffalo Sabres were in a playoff conversation. Yes, there have been a few times in the last 15 years that they have come close to being a part of the playoff race, but at no point in those years have they been as confident as they are now. The team looks aggressive, confident, and even happy at times, but the difference is that they don’t look or sound complacent.
The proof was in the pudding, so to speak, when following a huge 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, forward Alex Tuch said, “We’re not just gonna go for the playoffs, we’re gonna go for the [Stanley] Cup, and that’s our goal…” After that, the winds felt like they truly changed in Buffalo.
Sabres’ Mentality Has Changed For The Better
For the last few seasons, it was easy to pick apart every facet of this team. The defensive lapses, the offensive inconsistencies, and the below-average goaltending. Even at the start of this season, a lot of those trends were carrying over, and they could not find a way to become the team that they needed to be. Then came the firing of former general manager Kevyn Adams, and things really started to turn around.
The energy on the ice was different. The player mentality looked different. There was such a turnaround that since the date of his firing, the Sabres are 17-3-1 and currently sit in third place in the Atlantic Division (eight points ahead of the next closest team outside of a playoff spot).
Watching the players on the ice is a dramatic difference. They are all out there playing for one another as a cohesive group. Even on nights when they look like they may not have enough in the tank to get it done, they have still grinded out games, and have not looked like they have given up a single time. Compare that to earlier in the season, or previous ones, and it is a night-and-day difference.
Sabres Home Games Are Fun Again
As a person who attends nearly every Sabres home game, I can speak to the atmosphere in the building, and what it is like, versus what it was like. Over the last few seasons, the place was being drained of life. The building was half empty or filled up only with away fans on nights where the away team was fairly close (i.e., Toronto Maple Leafs games), and cheers were rarely heard from the crowd other than in relief or in jest from a “wow” moment that would randomly happen. More often than not, the “boo birds” were out to express their displeasure with the team’s effort or performance, but not recently.
Since the turnaround, and based on the fantastic display of hockey that the Sabres have been putting on at Keybank Center, the building is full of Sabres fans happily returning. They are rowdy, energized, involved, and most importantly, behind the team. They aren’t there because it was something to do on a Saturday night. No, these fans are around because the team finally showed up to play, and they are showing them the support they deserve.
Random cheers can be heard, spontaneous “Let’s go Buff-a-lo” chants organically come from the crowd without prompt, and life has returned to the building. The symbiosis between how the players have fueled the fans and how they, in return, are pumping up the players in the game has been a spectacle, and it only goes up from here.
Destiny Is Finally In Their Own Hands
For the first time in their 15-year playoff drought, the Sabres are in the position of being chased for their spot, rather than racing against the clock to chase one themselves. It is not an easy task to hold onto their spot, as they are currently tied (points-wise) with division opponents the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. The remainder of the Eastern Conference is also playing very well as a whole (only the New York Rangers are below a .500 points percentage). This will challenge them to continue to maintain the high standards they are setting, and to truly live up to what Tuch said in his post game interview.
Related – Sabres Need to Make a Decision on Alex Tuch Soon
The prize is right there for the taking, and it is in their hands whether it stays within reach or slips away. The trend, and how they have been playing, suggests that they should have a sustainable model to continue winning games, but they need to shake off any losses that inevitably come their way. Shake them off, learn from them, and get right back in the fight to win more games in a row. This is the mark of a true playoff team, and the difference between a Cup contender and a pretender. I, for one, am excited to see them finally compete and be the contender. The opportunity is right there… Seize it.
