Are We For Real?

[FrenchConnection44]

I really hesitate to post this as no team, perhaps in all of sports, has flattered to deceive than the Sabres. Still, we are at the top of the league in terms of lost games to injury, and we are getting a couple of players back. I thought this is a great piece by Fairburn. I really like him. He’s a reasonable dude. I could probably cut and paste for those who can’t access. 

This summer was a wash for me in terms of following any of my teams. Had a gargantuan move and started a new job as a Chaplain at UAB hospital  so I completely missed Dahlin’s fiancé’s heart transplant. He gets a pass on any play through December for me—if she has a full recovery. 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6756421/2025/10/28/sabres-josh-doan-zach-benson/?source=user_shared_article

 

 

[LGR4GM]

Are we for real? Ask again in January. 

[mjd1001]

To do the best job of answering the question, at any give time do you have 2 of the 3:

-Currently in the top 3 of the division

-More points than games played

-Postiive goal differential

(if you have 2 of them, you likely have the 3rd)

They could get there tonight with a win.

If they have any 2 of them, they are 'for real' at the moment.  If they fall below that threshold, same old drought Sabres.

 

Then there is the extension of that: Are they out of it already?   Answer: you are only 'out of it' if there is no chance for you to get'back in'.

 

 

Edited 23 hours ago by mjd1001

[shrader]

Does anyone remember where the Sabres were last year after 9 games, also after an 0-3 start?

[GASabresIUFAN]

If we are in a playoff position on Dec 1 you can start to hope.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I'd like to revise my earlier response.  Given what I've seen over the last 2 games, no this team isn't real yet.  Good team find away to win with leads in the 3rd period.

[Two or less]

4 hours ago, shrader said:

Does anyone remember where the Sabres were last year after 9 games, also after an 0-3 start?

4-5-1 

9 points

[SABRES 0311]

We are sixth in the division and in track for 82 points. Yeah this team is for real 😂.

Maybe November will be different.

[PASabreFan]

7/10 at home for a team whose hair should be on fire to end the drought and they have 10 points.

It is what it is.

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 hours ago, Two or less said:

4-5-1 

9 points

4-4-2 10pts

[PerreaultForever]

As I said in the Columbus thread, we've been fooled before. This could go either way. 

There are signs though. Positive signs. More grit. More players who go to the paint. Better efforts blocking shots and cutting off passes. It's trending the right way but there are still some passengers. 

[JP51]

I think from my perspective define real... what we are seeing thru the first 10 games in terms of results is on the lowside of average for our first 10 game segments over the past 10 years...  so to me the result is real... we are trending in terms of results to the lowside of our average pts over the past 10 years... meaning we are out of the running when the snow sticks "for real"... 2 consecutive blown leads and OT losses seems a lot like the real Sabres...  I am not doom and glooming... but simply saying that I don't see a whole lot result wise that would lead me to believe that we have broken thru...  I do like some grit from some of our players... Lyon and Doan are a bit of a revelation....  but as I mentioned in another post... some of our players look like they want out... and are done with going the entirety of their careers with no playoffs opportunity....  Season is early, time will tell... injured players will return... but in my opinion, I think we are seeing the real Sabres... the ones we have seen for the past 14 years + or - a little bit... 

[thewookie1]

Positives:  

- Legit victories that weren't just flukey bounces and legitimate 50+ minute efforts

- Doan and Benson have helped drag some borderline players into the net front battle crew

- Goaltending, minus UPL, has been solid

- After an atrocious 0-3 to start the year we've bounced back with 4-1-2 including a shutout of the defending champs (yes I know they are banged up)

- Timmons has been a hugely positive impact on the defensive play who brings what we had all hoped Clifton might bring (Clifton would get too hit happy and try to jump into offensive plays too much for a defensive stalwart)

- Muel has reverted to the guy we all loved when he came up from Rochester

 

Negatives:

- Thompson has had a rough start to the year, thankfully he seems to be getting shots so its not 911 emergency levels

- 4-4-2 is Average as a record, technically 5-3-2 is the bare minimum for a playoff pace when broken down to 10 game segments with 2 bonus games

- OT looks impotent 

- UPL came back early, then arguably lost us the Toronto game

- Team still has a tendency to go into lulls where 3/4th the team plays on power saving mode

- Injuries have yet again stabbed this team in the side; losing Norris in 1 game plus Dansforth and Kozak who have given solid depth hurt this team as a whole

 

???:

- Power has played better as a whole with Timmons as his partner but still fails far to often when physical prowess/size is needed 

- Dahlin's started ok; he looks somewhat distracted and or distant (honestly for understandable reasons) but is still a Top 4 D man with this handicap

- AHL call-ups have been a mixed bag, happy Dunne scored though

[shrader]

They’ve put 1 of the last 7 games into the loss column. If they can continue to keep games out of there, they’ll be in good shape. Call it the islanders approach. 

[Drag0nDan]

15 hours ago, shrader said:

Does anyone remember where the Sabres were last year after 9 games, also after an 0-3 start?

pretty similar spot - they need to avoid 13 straight losses and they'll be right in the mix.  Put a few streaks together of good hockey and they can make it.  

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

pretty similar spot - they need to avoid 13 straight losses and they'll be right in the mix.  Put a few streaks together of good hockey and they can make it.  

They need to avoid THREE straight losses.  They did it once and have nearly overcome that.  They can't repeatedly do it.  The game tomorrow in Beantown is huge.  Need to win that in regulation.  No UPL please.

[SwampD]

8 minutes ago, Taro T said:

They need to avoid THREE straight losses.  They did it once and have nearly overcome that.  They can't repeatedly do it.  The game tomorrow in Beantown is huge.  Need to win that in regulation.  No UPL please.

I thought Lyon was very UPL like last night. They can win with either, they can lose with either. Just my opinion.

[Taro T]

Just now, SwampD said:

I thought Lyon was very UPL like last night. They can win with either, they can lose with either. Just my opinion.

Rewatch, if you have a strong stomach, the 1st 15 minutes of the game.  If you honestly believe UPL would've come out of that stretch only down 1-0, would like to have a discussion about a bridge that's available for reasonable payments.

UPL wouldn't have stopped the 1st shot high to the glove, nor would he have survived the entire 3 shot flurry a bit later in the period.  Plus the 1st goal against, that's 3-0 at a minimum.

Down 3-0 to start, the Sabres don't come away with even the loser point.

Personally, thought he should've been able to keep the 2nd goal out of the net.  Yeah, he's getting screened, but if his stick is on the ice, that doesn't get through the 5-hole.   After the turnover leading to the 1st goal, he didn't have much of a chance at all.  Nothing he can do about a deflection from 3' out of the paint without a ton of luck.  And can't fault him for a backdoor tip in off a puck coming from where it started either.  That last one, Power has to get to the guy's stick sooner than he does.

[Night Train]

Small improvement.

Didn't even show up until late in the first period last night. Finishing games in the 3rd period. 

Still fighting consistency. Long way to go. 

[Gatorman0519]

No until proven otherwise.

[zow2]

So the answer looks to be No, they are not for real.  Yet.  Clearly the next 20 games will separate them from seasons past if they can keep stacking points and not have the dreaded 8-10-12 game losing streak.  

 

 

[ponokasabre]

3 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Positives:  

- Legit victories that weren't just flukey bounces and legitimate 50+ minute efforts

- Doan and Benson have helped drag some borderline players into the net front battle crew

- Goaltending, minus UPL, has been solid

- After an atrocious 0-3 to start the year we've bounced back with 4-1-2 including a shutout of the defending champs (yes I know they are banged up)

- Timmons has been a hugely positive impact on the defensive play who brings what we had all hoped Clifton might bring (Clifton would get too hit happy and try to jump into offensive plays too much for a defensive stalwart)

- Muel has reverted to the guy we all loved when he came up from Rochester

 

Negatives:

- Thompson has had a rough start to the year, thankfully he seems to be getting shots so its not 911 emergency levels

- 4-4-2 is Average as a record, technically 5-3-2 is the bare minimum for a playoff pace when broken down to 10 game segments with 2 bonus games

- OT looks impotent 

- UPL came back early, then arguably lost us the Toronto game

- Team still has a tendency to go into lulls where 3/4th the team plays on power saving mode

- Injuries have yet again stabbed this team in the side; losing Norris in 1 game plus Dansforth and Kozak who have given solid depth hurt this team as a whole

 

???:

- Power has played better as a whole with Timmons as his partner but still fails far to often when physical prowess/size is needed 

- Dahlin's started ok; he looks somewhat distracted and or distant (honestly for understandable reasons) but is still a Top 4 D man with this handicap

- AHL call-ups have been a mixed bag, happy Dunne scored though

this is all very accurate, great post

[Demoted]

1 hour ago, zow2 said:

So the answer looks to be No, they are not for real.  Yet.  Clearly the next 20 games will separate them from seasons past if they can keep stacking points and not have the dreaded 8-10-12 game losing streak.  

 

 

By the end of December you will know who the Sabres actually are.

November

2021-22    3-9-2

2022-23   4-9-1

2023-24   6-6-2

2024-25   7-6-1

 

December

2021-22   2-6-2

2022-23   8-2-1

2023-24   5-8-2

2024-25   3-9-2

[Weave]

10 minutes ago, Demoted said:

By the end of December you will know who the Sabres actually are.

November

2021-22    3-9-2

2022-23   4-9-1

2023-24   6-6-2

2024-25   7-6-1

 

December

2021-22   2-6-2

2022-23   8-2-1

2023-24   5-8-2

2024-25   3-9-2

Statistically, we’ll know by American Thanksgiving.  

[Mr Peabody]

Our center spine is not playoff caliber as is. Apologies to McCloud who is.