Fans should believe in the Buffalo Sabres this season

Find out two underrated reasons why fans should believe the Buffalo Sabres will clinch a berth in the 2019-20 Stanley Cup playoffs.

It wasn’t that long ago when a notable name such as Mike Babcock was rumored to end up as the 17th head coach in Buffalo Sabres history.

While Babcock signed with the Sabres’ rival in the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2015 offseason, Buffalo added a different big-named coach to man its bench, Dan Bylsma. After Bylsma’s brief stint in Buffalo ended in 2017, once again there was a household name recruited to turnaround a struggling franchise.

Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Phil Housley was named head coach during the 2017 offseason and fans were hoping that one of the greatest Sabre skaters of all-time was finally the answer.

It seemed that it wasn’t in the cards for Housley behind Buffalo’s bench either, after he was relieved as head coach this past offseason.

Considering that the Sabres hadn’t clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2010-11, it probably made more sense to hire a coach that most of Buffalo’s fanbase had never heard of before, right?

That’s exactly what Buffalo’s front office did, and the unpopular decision at the time has worked out one month into the 2019-20 campaign.

The Sabres introduced Ralph Krueger as head coach and left fans, and arguably the players, scratching their heads. Krueger served as an NHL head coach once prior to earning the Sabres job. The Winnipeg native coached the Oilers during the shortened 2012-13 season, but didn’t last past the NHL’s third lockout year.

In short, Krueger spent a number of years working in professional hockey around the globe prior to his role with the Oilers. However, prior to joining Buffalo, he served as the Chairman of Southampton Football Club, which plays out of England’s Premier League.

Yes, soccer.

The unique hire has turned out for the better and is one reason why fans should believe the Sabres are for real this year and will clinch a playoff berth.

While Krueger may not have the track record of other household names across the league, his experience seems to have molded him into an ideal communicator and leader with the right perspective to guide Buffalo back to where it belongs.

As reported by Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald, Krueger took a few of his veteran players out to dinner one night during the offseason and to the player’s surprise they “barely talked about hockey.”

It seems that Krueger’s diverse approach was probably something this Sabres organization needed years ago, but now it’s finally clicking and with a notable skater such as Jack Eichel entering the beginning stages of his prime years.

The coach’s relationship with his players appears to have generated both positive and different energies around the team’s overall camaraderie – impacting the team’s performance on the ice for the better.

While the Sabres reside in second place for the Atlantic Division, most fans and critics will point towards hockey’s most position and Buffalo’s previously questionable asset – goaltending.

Netminder Carter Hutton was never considered a legitimate starting goaltender at the NHL level until Buffalo inked him to a three-year deal in the summer of 2018. The 34-year-old never recorded more than 20 wins in a season, and last season started in a career-high 50 games.

Still, he looked average at best in year one with Buffalo.

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Yet, if Hutton were to have a career year – it wouldn’t be last season, nor next year.

It would be his middle year with Buffalo and now’s the time to believe he’s the Sabres’ short-term answer. His numbers are solid, the team’s overall play in front of him is improved and there’s less pressure for him to put the Sabres on his shoulders and carry them into the playoffs.

In fact, there’s next to no pressure now that this team has found its stride.

It’s evident that the Sabres are skating with confidence, and no longer fold when their backs are against the wall.

The same can be said for a veteran goaltender who with the right fit – won’t lose his club games, but rather give them a chance to win.

Hutton isn’t an all-star and he’s not the long-term solution in Buffalo, but he’s the answer this season and is another reason why it’s time to believe in year 50 of this historic franchise.