In honor of 716 Day, here are 7 Sabres players and 16 games to watch this season

After years of rebuilding, it appears the Buffalo Sabres are finally on the right track

The Buffalo Sabres haven’t made the postseason since the 2010-11 season. Their rebuild has seen several front office cleansings and multiple failures. However, general manager Jason Botterill has the team on the right path for the first time in a while.

Buffalo is a terrific hockey market, proven by their high viewership during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even though the Sabres haven’t been in it for a while, their fans still watch playoff hockey. During the 2017-18 season, Buffalo should finally get the hockey team they have been waiting for. They might not contend, but they will be exciting and they should be improved.

In celebration of 716 day in Buffalo, let’s take a look at seven players and 16 games Sabres fans should be excited about.

Seven Sabres players to watch this year

1. Jack Eichel is a terrific player. He’s barely old enough to purchase alcohol legally in the United States and he still nearly put up a point per game in his third season. Eichel’s not McDavid, but he’s a franchise cornerstone and, if healthy, could surprise a lot of people.
2. Both the fans and the organization have high hopes for Rasmus Dahlin. And rightfully so. After years of the draft lottery been cruel to Buffalo, they finally got the first overall pick. Dahlin is one of the best blueline prospects in years and should immediately be an impact player.
3. If Buffalo can get solid goaltending, they could be a playoff team. Ergo, Carter Hutton, who got a three-year deal in free agency, will be someone for fans to watch.
4. Linus Ullmark is a very talented young goalie. Buffalo thought so highly of him, they parted with William Carrier to protect him from the 2017 expansion draft. The franchise has a knack for having good goaltending. This hasn’t been the case since the Ryan Miller trade. Hutton and Ullmark could change that.
5. 2017 first round pick Casey Mittelstadt got a cup of coffee in the NHL last season, playing in six games. He put up five points, which is pretty solid for a teenager. The pride and joy of Eden Prarie, Minnesota will be getting a full pot of coffee in 2017-18, as Mittelstadt should get a lot of playing time. Especially after the Ryan O’Reilly trade.
6. Buffalo has never won a Stanley Cup, so Stanley Cup winners are hard to come by in northern New York. Conor Sheary has won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s used to playing with an elite center in Sidney Crosby. This should help him get along well with Eichel and Mittelstadt. A change of scenery could be the best thing that’s ever happened to him.
7. Tage Thompson will always be known as the guy traded for Ryan O’Reilly. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen. With the Blues, Thompson was blocked by numerous forwards. He should get a chance to prove himself in Buffalo.

16 Sabres games to watch this season

1. October 4 against the Boston Bruins. This will be the first time Sabres fans will be able to get a look at their team in the regular season. It’s also their home opener.
2. October 11 against the Colorado Avalanche. If Buffalo wants to make the playoffs in 2018-19, they should take some notes against the Avalanche. They went from last place in 2016-17 to a surprising playoff team in 2017-18.
3. October 21 against the Anaheim Ducks (away). The Sabres will get a tough early test with a five-game West Coast road trip. They say you get to know a team during their toughest stretches and this should be one of them.
4. October 25 against the Montreal Canadiens. Buffalo and Montreal have a pretty intense and underrated rivalry.
5. November 13 against the Tampa Bay Lighting. As Ric Flair once said, “To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.”
6. November 19 against the Pittsburgh Penguins (away). It will be an emotional night for Conor Sheary, who will make his first trip back to PPG Paints Arena as a member of the opposing team.
7. December 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Sabres and Leafs don’t like each other too much. Toronto should give Buffalo a true test of how the rebuild is going.
8. December 27 against the St. Louis Blues (away). This will be an emotional night for several players. It will be the first time Carter Hutton, Tage Thompson, Vladimir Sobotka, and Patrik Berglund return to St. Louis.
9. December 31 against the New York Islanders. New Year’s Eve games are always a good time. Go to that one if you can.
10. January 29 against the Columbus Blue Jackets (away). Whether you love or hate the cannon, Sabres fans will be voicing their opinion on Twitter. Always fun to see the arguments about whether the cannon is awesome or scary.
11. February 5 against the Minnesota Wild. Sabres fans will be interested to check up on old friend Marcus Foligno.
12. February 23 against the Washington Capitals. Any game against the defending Stanley Cup champions is must-watch hockey.
13. March 4 against the Edmonton Oilers. Eichel versus Connor McDavid should be a fun showdown to watch.
14. March 17 against the Blues. How ironic. Ryan O’Reilly will be making his return to Buffalo on St. Patrick’s Day.
15. March 20 against the Leafs. Last time Buffalo and Toronto will square off during the regular season.
16. April 6 against the Detroit Red Wings (away). Last game of the season. If the Sabres chances of making the playoffs come down to the wire, they have a pretty favorable end of the season run.

Next: 5 Free Agents The Sabres Should Sign

Happy 716 day! How are you celebrating?