It was exactly one year ago today when the Sabres franchise had hit an all-time low point. The locker room clean-out interviews of Ristolainen, Reinhart, and Eichel left absolutely nothing to be desired and signaled an entire organizational reset. After a season that contained one of the worst products put on the ice in Sabres history, along with one of the longest losing streaks in NHL history, and another last place finish to top it off, the bomb being dropped by the players who had been the core for so long, was the cherry on top of a season from hell.
We all know the offseason that ensued. A draft lottery win and eventual selection of a franchise defenseman in Owen Power. The trades of Ristolainen and Reinhart for future pieces, a free agency that saw bringing in players on minimum deals, and a never-ending saga of trying to trade a disgruntled superstar. One thing was clear through all of this, whether Kevyn Adams was making the right moves or not, the team was building for the future. They were NOT trying to do anything close to winning this season, it was a year that was being set up to be another basement finish.
And yet... that's not at all what happened. The Sabres turned a year that was supposed to be yet another last place finish into one of the best in franchise history.
Did it have any playoff success? No. Did they even sniff the playoffs? No, but we ALL know what this season means to this team, to this franchise, and to the city of Buffalo. For the first time in close to a decade, there is hope in Western New York.
The shift started on opening night. With a little more than 9,000 fans in the building, the Sabres put on a show for the diehards still willing to spend money. They routed the Canadiens and gave us all a reason to cheer for at least one night. It wouldn't have been a bad idea to think this would've been the highlight of their season.
However, I think I knew that change was really happening a little after the game had ended. Kyle Okposo's letter to the fans was an unexpected gift to the people that still cared, and it's something that would've never been done in the past six years, in which he wrote directly from the heart about what the fans were going to see night in and night out. Re-reading it now makes it all the sweeter, as Kyle and the team lived up to the expectations they set.
It was this quote that stuck with me:
"Let's just call a spade a spade. We knew the building wouldn't be packed for opening night. But we wanted to leave an impression on the people who were there and who we knew were at home watching on TV. I know we were able to do that by the reactions of the people in the building. They were loud, electric, and enthusiastic. That's the kind of hockey we want to play also. The kind that brings people out of their seats like it did on night one."
At the time, I'm sure it seemed like just words to many, and it's understandable why. All we've heard over the past six years has been words and empty promises that were never fulfilled by teams that couldn't get it done; but to me, there was something that just felt different. Maybe it was the circumstances, but the way that he detailed how the team wanted to play and what to bring to the fans made it feel like this group was really committed to us.
And let's remember, this was a Sabres team with Eichel still on the roster. He wasn't going to play for the team again, we knew that, but that dark cloud was still looming. And this was a roster without Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, and Mattias Samuelsson. The help wasn't here yet, these were the guys that were left to pick up the pieces.
That's not to say it was all sunshine and rainbows after this. Okposo said it himself, "There are going to be ups and downs, and we know that." We know the amount of downs that took place this season. A strong 3-0 start faded pretty quickly once the team went on the West Coast trip, where things kinda spiraled from there. The numerous players and goalies lost to injury, the scoring droughts of guys like Olofsson and Asplund, and overall just a team that didn't seem to be anything of quality led us to believe that our preseason predictions were becoming more true.
Heading into March with a 18-32-8 record and coming off a pretty dreadful six-game losing streak was starting to have a lot of fans check out. It's not like anyone was disappointed in the team, we knew this was somewhat in the plans. Not that Kevyn Adams and co. wanted to finish in the basement, but the roster was designed for development, not for contention.
But that all changed on March 10th, a date that will forever live in Sabres lore.
Jack Eichel, fresh off his artificial disk replacement surgery, and his Vegas Golden Knights come to town to show the Sabres the huge fools that they are. The one single game that everyone had circled on their calendars, even the players, turned out to be the most meaningful in a decade.
When Peyton Krebs tipped the puck into the back of the net a little into the 1st period, the air in the building just felt different. Did the Knights outplay the Sabres for a majority of the game? Probably, yes, but you could see just how much the game meant to our guys. Even after Vegas tied it with one of the worst goals you'll ever see late in the 3rd, it didn't stop them, they just kept pushing.
Recently called up Mattias Samuelsson ends up drawing a frustrating penalty on Jonathan Marchessault late in the 3rd, giving us a chance to capitalize. The sluggish Victor Olofsson, who hadn't shot a puck with any velocity in four months, picks the top left corner over Brossoit's shoulder to an explosion of excitement from the crowd. We had the lead.
And then that final minute. Alex Tuch blocking a Jack Eichel keep-in and going on to bury the empty netter right in front of him, a perfectly written ending.
You could just FEEL the change happening in front of your eyes. Whether you watched the game at home or at the arena, when that puck hit the back of the net something shifted in this city. The fans, the organization, and the players all felt it; the change was now.
And we all know what happened from there. Beating Toronto in the Heritage Classic two days later, making history by coming back from a 4-0 deficit for the first time in 30 years, RJ night being one of the most memorable nights in Sabres history, blowing Toronto out in Owen Power's debut, and finally... winning in overtime for RJ's Last Call.
Think about all the games I just went through, six games that can all define a season on their own, all taking place within a month, and the Sabres won every single one. Not a single one of those were you left sitting there clenching your fist thinking "damn, I wish they would've got that one". There were tough losses this season, sure, but there are tough losses every season. This group won every big game that they needed to.
Let's not just shine a light on the team collectively, but the players individually too.
Tage Thompson turning into a bonafide top-six player and scoring 38 goals. Jeff Skinner burying 32 goals along with Ralph Krueger in the process. Alex Tuch elevating his play from his time in Vegas and personifying everything this franchise wants their players to be. Rasmus Dahlin finally taking that next step into becoming an elite #1 defender and hitting 50 points in the process. Victor Olofsson hitting 20 goals despite going almost half a season without scoring one. Rasmus Asplund becoming one of the best defensive forwards in the entire league. Kyle Okposo having a comeback season for the ages and hitting 20 goals for the first time as a Sabre. And Craig Anderson becoming one of the best stories in the entire league.
The list just goes on and on of all the good things that happened with the team this year. If I told you half those things were going to happen, I don't think you'd believe me. This was just a remarkable group that we'll cherish forever.
However, despite all of that, that's not even what I want to talk about. I want to about the best part of all of this: what comes next.
I want to talk about how Dylan Cozens showed glimpses of how he can be that matchup center for years to come. How Peyton Krebs put his elite playmaking on display numerous times, giving us hints of the player he could be. How Mattias Samuelsson proved everybody wrong by showing just how good he is. How Owen Power in his short stint looked about as comfortable as a 19-year-old defenseman could ever look. How Jack Quinn was the AHL rookie of the year and changed everyone's perception of him in this organization. How JJ Peterka averaged a point-per-game in the AHL as a 20-year-old and he's still perceived as not even a top three prospect in the organization. How Devon Levi had one of the most historic seasons as a goalie in NCAA history, and how the team is going to add to all of it with six picks in the first two rounds over the next 2 years.
Most of all, I want to talk about how I'm counting down the days until KeyBank Center opens its doors for the 2022-23 season, and I can watch my favorite team again.
It's not this optimism is being forced out of habit, that I'm just wanting to be able to watch them again no matter how agonizing they can make it at points. I'm asking myself "Is it October yet?" over and over again because this team made me excited every time they touched the ice the last two months, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.
Kevyn Adams and Don Granato have a vision for this organization, and for the first time in over 10 years, I think we can all trust it. They're building a roster that is hopefully going to one day hoist Lord Stanley for the City of Buffalo. I can't wait for the ride.
So despite all of the highlights, the good vibes, and the memories from this season... the best is yet to come.
Go Sabres.
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