We've hit September and we're about a month away from the season opener against Detroit. A couple more weeks and the Sabres will begin their preseason. There are a ton of question marks, as usual, but the fact that there will be a full season is a good enough reason to be excited.
This month, I'm going to be posting predictions not only about teams, but about Sabres players and prospects. I'll be boosting my coverage of the team and writing more frequently all season long. Congratulations to Garth on getting bumped up to the top of the page. He has been writing about the entire NHL for awhile, so I think it makes the most sense to have him up there.
Buffalo banking on Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek
As we get closer and closer to the opener, we have to believe that Miller and Vanek will be a part of this year's team, at least for a little while. Whether or not they get traded by the deadline could depend on the first half of the season. Either way, the Sabres are once again going to rely on these two players.
Buffalo is not much different than they were last season, and they may have become even worse. It is time for a rebuild, but it's not an all out rebuild that is happening. It's almost as if the organization is unsure about these next few years, and leaving it up to the team to show what it has.
The Sabres struggled to score goals last season, and nothing is going to change that this year. That's going to put more pressure on Miller. The only way I see the Sabres having a better year is if the defense steps up and Miller is on his game.
Understandably, for Miller and Vanek, they don't want to part of a team that is rebuilding. I'd happily root for these guys if they were traded away. But, as of now, they're still on the team, and it's keeping the Sabres right in between making the playoffs and dead last.
Andydrmm said it right when this team would be considered lucky if they end up making the postseason. Having Miller and Vanek will definitely increase their chances, but they still have a long way to go.
EA Sports releases top 50 players
With NHL '14 coming out on September 10th, EA Sports has released its annual player ranking list. I scrolled through the list, wondering if any Sabres players could have landed in the top 50...nope. Not this year. Miller was ranked highly in previous years, but not one Buffalo player cracked the list.
It may not mean much, but it is another indicator that shows you the Sabres could be in for a long season. Not everyone is going to agree with the rankings, but I'm just putting it out there.
Buffalo Sabres Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»