An article by Adam Kimelman on NHL.com explains how the Sabres could be in contention for the Northeast Division title this season.
"The Sabres were hampered by injuries to key players last season, among them goalie Ryan Miller, defensemen Tyler Myers and Christian Ehrhoff and forward Tyler Ennis. Even with so many key assets out of the lineup, the Sabres barely missed a playoff spot. Miller remains an elite goaltender, and they found a dynamic scoring line with Ennis centering Drew Stafford and Marcus Foligno. If they can avoid the injury problems that short-circuited last season, they should be able to compete with the Bruins and Senators for the division title." -NHL.com
I found this interesting, especially because it seems like the Sabres are going to make another move. I polled readers in an earlier blog this month asking this:
While about two out of three thought the Sabres are a better team than last year, are Buffalo good enough to win the division?
Personally, I think the Sabres may have a shot at the division title with the team that they have right now, for three reasons:
1. With the fewest sets of back-to-back games in franchise history, I expect a few more wins from the Sabres.
2. The Sabres have gotten tougher, which should make them more difficult to play against.
3. Injuries. As long as there are fewer injuries than last year, that's a plus.