As has become tradition as of late, the Buffalo Sabres had some early success in 2019-20 -- starting the season 9-2-1 -- before experiencing some choppy waters thereafter. At the March pause, they were fighting for a playoff berth.
Unfortunately, they were the final team on the outside looking in on the 24-team tournament when the league restarted, thus ensuring another season of Jack Eichel's career would be spent outside of the postseason spotlight.
This offseason was a whirlwind, including a new GM taking charge, a major trade and the belle of the free-agency ball picking Buffalo as his preferred spot for 2020-21. Here's everything you need to know about the Sabres prior to opening night.
The big question: Can they make the playoffs?
The Sabres' playoff drought has reached a league-high nine seasons, and ownership, players and fans are getting antsy. There's no question this team is heading in the right direction under coach Ralph Krueger (despite going through yet another offseason GM change) and the one-year Taylor Hall deal adds a level of urgency.
Did realignment hurt or help?
While the Sabres weren't having much luck breaking through in the top-heavy Atlantic Division, their new division has a much stronger middle class through which to wade -- and they no longer get to capitalize on playing the Senators, Red Wings and Panthers (against whom Buffalo went a combined 7-3 last season).
Offseason comings and goings, and the cap situation
Buffalo has $3,495,833 in projected cap space, according to Cap Friendly. The Sabres signed Taylor Hall to play on Jack Eichel's wing, and brought in Eric Staal and Cody Eakin to cement the center depth. The Sabres also brought on defenseman Matt Irwin and forward Tobias Rieder.
Buffalo said goodbye to a handful of forwards, including Marcus Johansson, Michael Frolik, Jimmy Vesey, Vladimir Sobotka, Wayne Simmonds and Johan Larsson.
Bold prediction
Jeff Skinner rebounds. After he signed a massive eight-year, $72 million extension in Buffalo, Skinner's 2019-20 was quite forgettable. He scored only 14 goals in 59 games and made fans wonder whether the signing was a mistake. Freed from playing with Marcus Johansson or Evan Rodrigues as his center, Skinner could find his production again -- more along the lines of the 40 goals he scored in 2018-19.
Breakout candidate: Dylan Cozens
After lighting it up for Team Canada at the IIHF World Juniors Championships, the 19-year-old will report to Buffalo with confidence. Cozens, the No. 7 pick of the 2019 draft, could be put in a position to succeed if he lines up with Eric Staal, who could help cover for Cozens defensively as he adjusts to the NHL game.
Biggest strength: Leadership
As bizarre as it sounds for a team that's been bottom dwelling for most of this decade, Buffalo has two distinct yet captivating voices in its coach (Krueger) and captain/No. 1 center, Jack Eichel. Those are two positions for which teams spend years looking, and Buffalo has both in house -- and signed for the long term.
Biggest weakness: Goaltending
One of the biggest surprises of this summer's goaltending carousel is that the Sabres didn't buy a ticket. Buffalo enters the season with the uninspiring combination of Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton. The duo combine for just about $5.3 million against the cap, and are both free agents next summer, so this might be only a temporary arrangement.
Sabres in NHL Rank
No. 13: Jack Eichel, C
No. 39: Taylor Hall, LW
No. 56: Rasmus Dahlin, D
Prospect perspective
Pipeline ranking: 10
Prospects in the top 100: No. 6 Dylan Cozens (C), No. 26 Jack Quinn (LW), No. 94 John-Jason Peterka (LW), honorable mention Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (G)
Fantasy facts to know
Taylor Hall plus Jack Eichel should equal fantasy glory. The upside of a superstar center playing for the first time with a superstar winger is very enticing for fantasy; just don't lose sight of Hall's struggles to find a superstar scoring rhythm since his MVP season of 2017-18.
The Sabres also reunited Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner to complement the scoring lines, with Victor Olofsson, Sam Reinhart and Dylan Cozens offering plenty of ways to fill out the top six. This offense should be much more interesting for fantasy this season than it has been in recent campaigns.
The new ESPN standard scoring -- with hits and blocks -- means that Rasmus Ristolainen joins Rasmus Dahlin among Sabres blueliners who have fantasy value. -- Sean Allen