What Is Wrong With the Sabres?

The Buffalo Sabres are itching to make the postseason for the first time since 2010/11, and last season gave their fans plenty of hope.

It had been a long stretch of below .500 play by Buffalo. The team was still good enough to be at that mark or higher in the two seasons following their last playoff appearance, but certainly had slipped. The team then went into a funk that lasted through the Jack Eichel era, and seemed lost after the 2020/21 season, in which the Sabres were 15-34-7.

Things improved a bit in 2021/22, and seemed to take a big step forward the next season. Buffalo finished 42-33-7 in 2022/23, and there was plenty of reason for optimism. Didn't Tage Thompson not score 47 goals? Didn't defenceman Rasmus Dahlin average nearly a point a game (73 points)?

Collectively, as a team, the Sabres scored a lot of goals last season. They were third in the National Hockey League in goals for with 296 goals for in 2022/23. There was, however, a weakness. Their defence and goaltending were quite suspect. Only Craig Anderson (.908) and Devon Levi (.905) had save percentages over .900. 

A year later, Anderson is retired, and Levi has a save percentage of only .892 in fifteen appearances. Devon is only 21 years old, and is looking at another trip around the globe in a few days (December 27). Last season, that good save percentage was posted in only seven appearances with Buffalo.

So did that mean there isn't any good goaltending left in Buffalo? One thing I noticed about the Sabres from the season before last, was the team seemed to play better in front of Craig Anderson than anyone else. In a season in which Buffalo finished below .500 (32-39-11), it was the veteran netminder that proved he still had it. At 40 years old, Craig went 17-12-2 for a team that was seven games below .500. The rest of the goaltenders were not very good. Aaron Dell was 1-8-1. Malcolm Subban was 0-2-1. Really, the only goalie on the team other than Michael Houser and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who had much success with Buffalo was Dustin Torkarski, who went 10-12-5. Anderson and Torkarski were two veterans on the team, and dealt with poor defence well. Houser and Luukkonen combined for just eleven appearances that season.

Tokarski, after a fling with Pittsburgh, is back with Buffalo, but stuck with the AHL's Rochester Americans as this is being written. Dell, after recently trying out with the Carolina Hurricanes, is about to play for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup, possibly as a test run to see if he can make it back to the NHL. Personally speaking, I am rooting for him.

The overall lack of leadership in goal is showing. No Anderson, no Tokarski, and no Dell (Plus Houser is in the ECHL) means the team has to rely on Ukko-Luukonen and Levi. That was a bit of pressure to put on two youngsters  to step it up. Devon Levi has a winning record (7-4-2), but neither he nor Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have a good save percentage. Each sits at .892, well below the league average (.903).

The Sabres aren't trending enough in their own zone. Goals allowed in the last three seasons and so far in 2023/24:

199 (in 56 games)

290

300

121 (in 35 games)

The Sabres, as you can see, are on pace to allow 283 goals against, which would put them among the worst of the worst in that category. Without veterans like Tokarski and Anderson to step in, that's bad enough. And with their offence (which produced 296 goals for last season) lagging, it's not enough this year to offset the glaring weakness in their own end. Sure, defenceman Rasmus Dahlin has picked up (29 points in 34 games) where he left off last season (73 points), but others have to step up. The person who really needs to get it going is Tage Thompson. The last two seasons have been a big step forward for Tage. He scored 38 goals in 78 games in 2021/22, then upped it to nearly fifty red lights in as many games last season. Thompson, who stands 6'6, and seems to be blossiming into a star, is off to a rough start with but nine goals in twenty-six games. Tage has missed some games, but you have to figure that the defence of the opposition has found a counter to his awesome moves. Like the rest of the team, there is still time to right the ship.

However, that might be the who problem with the Sabres. Is it they are playing bad, or is it the opposition is that much better? In 2022/23 Buffalo competed with Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay, and Florida in the Atlanta Division. The Bruins nailed down first place (overall) with 65 wins. The Leafs won 50, and the Lightning 46. So the Sabres were only four wins fewer than a great Lightning team. They also won just one game less than the Florida Panthers, who ended up not only making the playoffs, but going all the way to the finals.

But one thing that is obvious in the Atlantic Division last season compared to this, is that Detroit and Montreal were both below .500. The Red Wings and Canadiens won 35 and 31 games respectively. They've upped the ante in 2023/24, as both teams are above .500. Granted, I'm sure most experts expect them to fall back (and Ottawa, with a 39-35-8 record, currently sit dead last in the Atlantic with a 12-17-0 record). I expect both the Sabres and Senators to climb back (if not over) .500, but one has to wonder if its the other teams improving in the offseason, more than Buffalo lacking goaltending and depth in scoring.

Their 9-3 win over Toronto on December 21st seemed to get the Buffalo Sabres back on track. They followed that up by playing their hearts out against the top team in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers. The Sabres erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits on the road, before finally conceding the contest in overtime. In a road game, no less.

That was more like it. Plenty of fight, plenty of spirit. There is still 47 games left in the 2023/24 season. So the Buffalo Sabres have 47 more contests to prove whether or not 22/23 was a fluke. Personally, I'm tired of the team's long drought, and wish them all the best. It's a tremendous incline for the young team to hike up, though. It's gonna be one of those 'now we see what you're really made of' moments for this team.


References

“Carolina Hurricanes Bring In Ex - San Jose Sharks G Aaron Dell on Free - Agent Tryout.” TSN, The Sports Network, 18 Dec. 2023, www.tsn.ca/nhl/carolina-hurricanes-bring-in-ex-san-jose-sharks-g-aaron-dell-on-free-agent-tryout-1.2050435. 

Hoppe, Bill. “After Stint With Sabres, Goalie Dustin Tokarski Happy Back With Amerks.” Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage, Olean Times Herald, 15 Dec. 2023, www.buffalohockeybeat.com/after-stint-with-sabres-goalie-dustin-tokarski-happy-back-with-amerks/. 

“Michael Houser.” ECHL, The ECHL – Premier “AA” Hockey League, echl.com/players/4585/michael-houser. Accessed 25 Dec. 2023. 

Miller, Max. “Aaron Dell Will Play for Team Canada at Spengler Cup.” The Hockey News, The Hockey News / Roustan Media Ltd. , 23 Dec. 2023, thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/news/aaron-dell-will-play-for-team-canada-at-spengler-cup. 

Official Site of the National Hockey League, National Hockey League, www.nhl.com/. Accessed 25 Dec. 2023. 

Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. 25 Dec. 2023.

Anderson And Stalock: Why They Need To Play More!

There are two goalies in the National Hockey League that need more playing time right now. For different reasons.

One is on a team that has wandered out of the wilderness and looking for it's first playoff berth in more than a decade. The other is for a team that was once dominant, but is now rebuilding.

One is at the end of his career. The other is about in the middle of it.

One has a whole lot of experience. The other would cherish that, if given an opportunity.

Craig Anderson is the type of goalie who has seen peaks and valleys during his career. It's not necessarily his play, but rather the men in front of him. Their play has not always been up to par. But he's helping guide the Buffalo Sabers back to respectability.

Alex Stalock is the classic example of a goalie who has never quite found a home (Think Gary "Suitcase" Smith). It all started for him in San Jose a while back. Here Alex was, playing just a single National Hockey League game in 2010/11, but having at least some satisfaction that he made the big leagues.

It wasn't exactly what Stalock had hoped. The game was really a half game. The rookie played 29 minutes and 47 seconds for the San Jose Sharks on February 11th. The native of St. Paul, Minnesota would more than hold his own for the Sharks that night. The Minnesota Wild threw nine shots at him. The Wild had a 3-0 lead when the new goalie took over from Antti Niemi. From there, San Jose scored five goals, and Stalock had a most unexpected win, Elroy Face style, in his first NHL game.

So most of the season, 61 games, was spent at Worcester, San Jose's AHL team. Sure, the kid needed some playing time, but Alex would soon finding himself needing some National Hockey League action. But Stalock would see none of that in 2011/12, and only two NHL games in the strike-shortened 12/13 season.

Patience paid off, as he had an excellent rookie season in 2013/14. 1.87 goals-against average, .932 save percentage. A 12-5-2 record. The big problems was, Alex Stalock was merely a back-up netminder. He'd play 24 games that year, and another 22 the next. His performance dropped a bit, and that certainly didn't help.

The Sharks traded the kid to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal that brought San Jose James Reimer. Reimer, by the way, was one of my favourites, and I was sad to see him go. But, looking back, I feel bad for Alex Stalock, too. He would not play a single NHL game for Toronto.

So it was on to Minnesota as a free agent for Stalock. There, things seemed to improve. He even appeared in a career-best 38 games in 2019/20. Alex won 20 games that season.

Now, you'd think Stalock was set to stay with the Wild. Instead it would be back to San Jose after a stop in Edmonton which saw the goalie play not a single NHL game. Were things better the second time around for Stalock? Alex played one game in 2021/22. It was tough, as the goaltender was suffering from myocarditis during 20/21. It seemed like hockey life wasn't offering him enough action.

The Chicago Blackhawks might have been the last place Alex wanted to go to. They'd fallen a long way by the time Stalock signed with them for 2022/23. But the 22/23 season has been a lot better than you would have figured. 

There was a concussion. There was oculomotor dysfunction. Alex missed several games between those two issues. But the goalie, who turned 35 years old on July 28th of 2022, turned each of those into temporary setbacks. The team in front of him was not good, but he persevered. 

A December 23rd win capped of a strong streak, dating back to October 21st, that Chicago's new goalie went 4-1-1 with a credible .905 save percentage. The tough time were inevitable for a team that looked to unload the contracts of their two big guns (Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews), and soon the poor newcomer to the Blackhawks to the patience test. 

On the last day of February, a 4-1 loss to Arizona officially dropped Alex Stalock's season record under .500 (6-7-1). However, earlier this year, Alex shutout the Coyotes. And just the other day (March 6th), Stalock was awesome, stopping all 35 shots against in a 5-0 win over the surging Ottawa Senators.

The magic appeared to carry over to last Wednesday's game. It's a bit of a tough time in Chicago. Sure, they'd won five in a row from February 17th to 25th. Reality was, the Blackhawks were still only 21-32-5 despite their recent hot streak. Patrick Kane was going all out for Chicago, as he and Jonathan Toews were in their final year of their contracts. Toews, suffering from illness that Covid is a part of, has not played since January 28th, was on hot streak, with eight points in his last ten games. Chicago did not trade him at the deadline, but dealt Kane to the New York Rangers, and that sort of marked the end of an era.

With that said, it's not like having Toews around again, even just until the end of the season, wouldn't give the team a lift. He's one of the last links to the glory days of the Blackhawks, with Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. This is probably the toughest stretches of the season for Chicago, who has endured not one, but two eight-game losing streaks in 2022/23.

So it was up to the kids to respond. The game against Detroit appeared to be a good one for Chicago, as they took an early 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Taylor Raddysh. Reality set in, and Detroit roared back to win, 4-3.

A tough loss for this young Blackhawks team. But their 35-year old goalie Alex Stalock had performed admirably. 41 shots against, 37 saves. And a close look at Alex's record to date bears that this was typical of him all year. His save percentage is now an excellent .920, fifth in the National Hockey League among goalies who have appeared in fifteen or more games. The loss dropped his record to 7-8-1, but it's been quite a season for this veteran.

Who knows what will happen to Alex at the end of the season. A kid, Jaxon Stauber, who's father Robb played in the NHL, opened some eyes by going 5-1-0 in a short stint with the Blackhawks this season. Petr Mrazek is signed through 2023/24, but has really struggled. Stalock was only signed for a one-year deal. Mrazek has been having his problems in the Chicago net.

In order to qualify for for the save percantage title, a goalie must play at least 26 games (In an 82-game season). That's the other thing: Shouldn't Chicago make the kind jester to allow one of their better players to possibly lead the league in a positive stat?

Alex has been one of Chicago's lone bright spot, and given his vagabond-like career, it would be nice to see it end the right way in the Windy City. Obviously, the chance to draft a player like Connor Bedard is good a prospect to pass up, but with a guy like Jonathan Toews winding down his Chicago career, it would be nice to see the Blackhawks putting out their best team on the ice.

Craig Anderson is 41, with his next birthday looming in May. Unlike Stalock, Anderson has seen it all. His own NHL career started way back in 2002/03. Back when scoring was low, and with Alex Stalock's current team.

Anderson didn't really impress with the Blackhawks, but that was alright. The native of Park Ridge, Illinois was a classic case of a late bloomer. His next stop was in Florida, where he flourished. It seemed to all come together in Colorado in 2009/10, as Craig made 71 appearances, winning 38.

Though the Avalanche lost in the first round of the playoffs, Anderson impressed there, too. His .933 save percentage was tops among goalies in the postseason. It was no fluke.

Craig went on to Ottawa, where he'd some good and some bad teams. Anderson seemed to be the one constant good player on the team who would bring it every night. Never was that more evident than in the 2017 postseason. It had been a tough year for him. His wife Nicholle had battled throat cancer that season, and Craig was there at her side. When he returned to the Senators, he was ever the goalie, taking them to within a goal of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Anderson's time in Ottawa ended after the 2019/20 season. Washington signed him the next season, but really didn't seem to think he could help. In limited time (Four appearances), Craig went 2-1 with a .915 save percentage. He also made two playoff appearances against Boston, his first postseason in four years. Anderson's save percentage in those two games was .929. Did he still have it? Or was it time, now around 40, to call it?

Well, Buffalo had been a team that had struggled for so long. There had been Craig Anderson in 2012/13, 12-9-2, league-leading .941 save percentage and 1.69 goals-against average. Craig was helping Ottawa that season, but not Buffalo, who limped home to a 21-21-6. It would be their last .500 season to date.

The 21/22 team was seemingly going nowhere when they signed Craig Anderson. Could the old man get through the season? He sure did. And though Buffalo only won 32 games in 2021/22, Craig had made a big difference. The Sabres were 15-34-7 in 2020/21, so this was a huge improvement, 32-39-11. Anderson wasn't quite the goalie he'd used to be, as his save percentage was below .900 (.897) and his goals-against average was above three, (3.12), but his record was very good. 17-12-2. Put in perspective, backup goalie Dustin Tokarski was 10-12-5, with a .899 save percentage and 3.27 GAA. Craig found ways to win games that Dustin could not. The team had to scrape and claw their way to victories most nights, as Buffalo was only 22nd in goals for (232) and allowed 290 goals against (Only seven teams allowed more)

But Craig basically said, in regards to his solid 2021/22 season, "If you think that's good, wait until you see what's next!" Next, as in "Next season." It's been one of those years where many things have come together for Buffalo. Tage Thompson, who is from Phoenix, Arizona, seems poised to top the 50 goal, 100 point mark. His previous high in goals was 38. Then, there was defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. He'd had a pretty good season for the Sabers in 2021/22, with 13 goals and 40 assists in 80 games. But now, just a year later, and in only 60 games, Rasmus already has 63 points.

Buffalo has been an offence juggernaut this year. But in order to win games, you need goaltending. That's where Craig Anderson comes into play.

He's just 9-9-2. But the big numbers are back to vintage Anderson: .918 save percentage and 2.78 goals-against average (Those numbers would unquestionably be better if Buffalo wasn't such a young team)

And it's paying dividends for the Sabers. Their other goalies are too young and inexperienced to carry a budding team. At least to take in the bulk of the work. The Sabres have actually employed three primary netminders, with Craig Anderson sometimes the forgotten man. 

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is in just his third season in the National Hockey League. His win-loss record is pretty much what you'd expect from a newbie on a poor team. 1-3-0 in 2020/21. 2-5-2 in 21/22 despite a fine .917 save percentage and 2.74 goals-against average.

This year has been a bit of a struggle for Luukkonen. Though he's the big winner on the Sabres with fifteen W's (So far), his save percentage (.893) and GAA (3.61) have not been up to par prior to Saturday's game against the New York Rangers. The 15-10-2 record is not complimented his overall numbers. Having said that, Ukko-Pekka gave a pretty good performance in a 2-1 overtime loss against New York two days ago.

The Sabres third goalie is Eric Comrie, who has had quite an NHL adventure. Not too far off Alex Stalock's. Two tour of duties with the Winnipeg Jets. Stops in Detroit and New Jersey. Here, in Buffalo, it's been tough. Despite an 8-9-0 record, Eric might not be NHL-ready just yet. His S% is only .877 and his GAA is 3.87. And Comrie has battled injuries.

First, there was a lower body injury in November. And just recently, after being pummeled for ten goals on forty-nine shots against Dallas on Friday (March 9th), there was another injury, again to the lower body. He is listed as week-to-week.

So this opens the door for Craig Anderson. The Sabres are in a bit of a slump, currently sitting at sixth place in their division. Now, it all depends how you look at it. They are but four points back of the Florida Panthers, but Buffalo has two games in hand. They trail the fifth-place Ottawa Senators by just a point (70-69), but with a game in hand.

Getting to fourth place would be an amazing accomplishment for the Sabres, however that does not guarantee them a playoff spot. Spots seventh and eighth (The two wild-card positions) in the Eastern Conference are currently occupied by Pittsburgh and the New York Islanders. The Pens appear to have things in order, 34-22-10, having gone 7-2-1 in their last ten contests. That's put Pittsburgh up to 78 points in 66 games. Very unlikely that Buffalo can catch them.

The New York Islanders are a different matter. They have 76 points, but have played three more games than the Buffalo Sabres (68-65). So there is still a chance for Buffalo to catch them. The Sabres need to start winning, as the Islanders, too, are heating up (6-3-1 in their last 10 contests, compared to the Sabres 4-5-1 in that span).

With Comrie out, Craig Anderson steps back into the picture. He's been here before. Think back to 2014/15, when he was the forgotten man when Andre Hammond came up from the minors, and guided Ottawa to the playoff spot. But that's where things got tough. Anderson returned in the playoffs, going 2-2 to go along with a .972 save percentage and a 0.97 goals-against average. The Senators sort of just sneaked in the playoffs in 2015, which is what the Sabres are trying to do eight years later.

Eric Comrie's injury opens the door for Craig Anderson. As you can see, there are Craig's numbers, and then there are every other goalie for Buffalo's numbers. Two vastly different levels. And then there is Anderson's playoff numbers (24 wins, 23 losses, .929 save percentage, 2.36 goals-against average). Who'd you rather have in there come late March on?

If the Sabres are to sneak into the playoffs, they will need goaltending down the stretch (Sixteen games) to get there. Buffalo has it on offence, as their team has lit the red lamp 238 times this year (Good enough for third overall in goals for). I dread, for other NHL teams' sake, to think what this mostly-young Sabres team will be like to play against in a few seasons. 

Getting back to Anderson, it's still up in the air if he wants to continue after this season. In an interview with Elliote Friedman that he is leaning towards retirement after this season, feeling the lure of spending more time with his children. But that was back in November. From his first December appearance in 2022 to his narrow 3-2 loss to Edmonton in Craig's last game (March 6th), it's been great for Anderson. 6-6-2, an amazing 40-save shutout performance included. Another game more recently where Craig stopped 49 out of 50 Florida shots. So in the last sixteen games, all he's done is record a .921 save percentage and a 2.75 goals-against average. Craig has lost some close games, too. Which is what you'd expect if you are on a young team that is still learning about the finer points of defence. 

Craig could choose to go the Johnny Bower route in hockey. Bower continued to excel well past his 40th birthday. The Leafs' old warhorse of the 1960s continued to be one of the best goalies in the National Hockey League past the big 4-0, lasting six more seasons. Anderson will take on Bower's old team tonight. Buffalo is a little short on goalie talent right now, and Craig not only clearly the best goalie on the Sabres, but the most consistent one. 



References


“Alex Stalock Contract, Cap Hit, Salary and Stats.” Cap Friendly, CapFriendly.com, https://www.capfriendly.com/players/alex-stalock. 13 Mar. 2023.


CBSSports.com, Columbia Broadcasting System, https://www.cbssports.com/. 13 Mar. 2023.


Hoppe, Bill. “Goalie Eric Comrie Injured Again in Rough First Season with Sabres.” Buffalo Hockey Beat, Olean Times Herald, 13 Mar. 2023, https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/goalie-eric-comrie-injured-again-in-rough-first-season-with-sabres/. 13 Mar. 2023.


Lazerus, Mark. “Five Blackhawks Thoughts, from Pride Night to Jonathan Toews’ Pending Return.” The Athletic, The Athletic Media Company, https://theathletic.com/4290143/2023/03/08/blackhawks-loss-red-wings-pride-jonathan-toews/. 13 Mar. 2023.


NHL.com. “Official Site of the National Hockey League.” NHL.com, The National Hockey League, https://www.nhl.com/. 13 Mar. 2023.


Roumeliotis, Charlie. “When Healthy, Stalock Has Been One of Best Goalies This Season.” NBC Sports, National Broadcast Company , 7 Mar. 2023, https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/blackhawks/ when-healthy-alex-stalock-has-been-one-nhls-best-goaltenders-season. 13 Mar. 2023.


Smith, Connor. “Blackhawks Would Be Wise to Extend Alex Stalock.” The Hockey Writers, The Hockey Writers, 10 Mar. 2023, https://thehockeywriters.com/blackhawks-alex-stalock-extension-wise-decision/. 13 Mar. 2023.


Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. https://www.hockey-reference.com/. 13 Mar. 2023.


Sportsnet, "32 Thoughts: Craig Anderson Reflects On Career Path, If He'll Be Back Next Season & More." YouTube, 23 Nov. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NwQLPYRyzo. 13 Mar. 2023.


Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/. 13 Mar. 2023.