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Patrik Berglund

Overseas Notes: Andrighetto, Berglund, Morrow

July 15, 2020 at 8:21 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

It was a bit of a surprise when forward Sven Andrighetto bolted for Europe last summer. The 27-year-old had shown flashes of great ability over the years, and while he failed to score consistently, he still had developed into a serviceable depth forward. Andrighetto had recorded 83 points in 216 NHL games with Montreal and Colorado and had played in a career-high 64 games in 2018-19. Yet, when the Avalanche declined to extend him a qualifying offer, Andrighetto left North America entirely, signing a two-year deal with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk. A year later, he clearly has no regrets. Andrighetto has made a major career decision that puts a future NHL career in doubt. The ZSC Lions of the Swiss NLA, the same club who Andrighetto played for during his early developmental years, announced that they have brought their homegrown product back on a stunning five-year deal. The final year of Andrighetto’s deal with Omsk has been terminated and he is now under contract with ZSC through the 2024-25 season. Should he play out that entire contract, Andrighetto would be well into his 30’s by the next time he is a free agent. While he has the potential to put up big numbers with the Lions, filling the shoes of the departed Pius Suter under the tutelage of head coach Rickard Gronberg, it may not be enough to drum up interest in a 32-year-old who is six years removed from NHL action. If Andrighetto is to play in the NHL again, it would likely mean he has to break his contract with his hometown club to return within the next five years. That seems unlikely at this point, which could mean we have seen the last of a talented, capable forward in the NHL ranks.

  • The same goes for NHL veteran Patrik Berglund. Hinted at earlier this month with reports that he was negotiating with the SHL’s Brynas IF, Berglund seemingly had no intention of a return to the NHL this off-season after abandoning the Buffalo Sabres midway through the 2018-19 season. That has now been confirmed, as Berglund has signed a two-year deal with Brynas per a team release. Berglund, 32, spent this year with Djurgardens IF and found great success; the long-time St. Louis Blue recorded 31 points in 49 games for one of the best per-game scoring seasons of his pro career. He now moves to Brynas, who did not make the SHL playoffs this year despite the efforts of star forward Anton Rodin. The team could desperately use some veteran leadership and Berglund hopes that he can fill that role and that he and Rodin can turn the team back into a contender. With his efforts clearly focused on making an impact at home in Sweden, Berglund is unlikely to be back in the NHL again.
  • A wild ride continues for defenseman Joe Morrow. Morrow, 27, who earned a contract extension and 41 games with the Winnipeg Jets just two years ago, has been in a whirlwind ever since. Morrow was unable to find an NHL contract last off-season and attended training camp with the New York Rangers, only to earn a contract offer from the rival New Jersey Devils. However, after months with the Devils without seeing any NHL action, Morrow’s contract was terminated and he departed for the KHL, signing a two-year deal with Dynamo Minsk. This was amazingly the first multi-year deal of Morrow’s pro career since his entry-level deal had expired and it looked like Minsk might be a good place for the veteran to rebuild his stock as a top player for the club. Instead, Morrow was a bust in Minsk, managing just three assists and a -8 rating in 22 games. Perhaps not so surprisingly, the two sides have now gone their separate ways, with the second year of Morrow’s contract terminated according to the team. What’s next for the veteran defenseman remains a mystery at this point.

Buffalo Sabres| Colorado Avalanche| KHL| NLA| New Jersey Devils| SHL| Winnipeg Jets Anton Rodin| Patrik Berglund| Sven Andrighetto

1 comment

Snapshots: Berglund, Rangers’ Goalie Battle

July 1, 2020 at 8:38 pm CDT | by TC Zencka 3 Comments

Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League has offered a contract to free agent Patrik Berglund, per Uffe Bodin of hockeysverige.se. Berglund, last seen in the NHL as a member of the 2018-2019 Buffalo Sabres, had his contract terminated after failing to report. Mental health issues led Berglund to forfeit the $10MM contract and return to Europe where he eventually signed a deal with Djurgardens in the SHL. It appears as if Berglund, 32, will stay in the Swedish Hockey League for the foreseeable future, putting an end to any speculation that he might return stateside. Berglund initially joined the Sabres to help match salary as part of the Ryan O’Reilly trade.

  • The New York Rangers are in the enviable position of having not one, not two, but three viable options at goaltender once play resumes, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com. Henrik Lundqvist (.905 save percentage in 26 starts) could be grandfathered into the starting role, but Igor Shesterkin (.932 save percentage in 12 starts)and Alexandar Georgiev (.910 save percentage in 32 starts) each made their case with solid play during the year. As with many of the roster decisions coming out of the long layoff, this may come down to conditioning and readiness. However he decides, coach David Quinn is sure to be second-guessed if their five-game Stanley Cup Qualifier against the Carolina Hurricanes goes poorly. On his thinking, Quinn said this: “You can make a case for all three guys. There’s a lot of reasons to take ’Shesty,’ there’s a lot of reasons to start Hank (Lundqvist), and there’s reasons to start ’Georgie.’ This is such an uncertain time that that will play out over the course of the two and a half weeks that we’re going to have before we drop the puck.”
  • Looking ahead, the Rangers decision could speak to their likely direction this offseason when they’ll need to decide again how to manage the futures of Lundqvist, 38, Shesterkin, 24, and Georgiev, 24. Lundqvist is owed $8.5MM for the 2020-2021 season while Shesterkin has another year at $925K. “Georgie” could be the odd man out, as he will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season. That said, the Rangers’ remain in control of all three, and they’ll likely explore trade avenues to extract value from the deep positional group.

Carolina Hurricanes| David Quinn| NHL| New York Rangers| SHL| Snapshots Alexandar Georgiev| Henrik Lundqvist| Patrik Berglund| Swedish Hockey League

3 comments

Atlantic Notes: Berglund, Backes, Coburn, Anderson

November 30, 2019 at 7:29 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

In a feature aired on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston looks at the unusual story of Patrik Berglund, who a year ago opted out of the final three years and $13.03MM of his contract with the Buffalo Sabres to quit hockey, Berglund claims that it was no decision at all.

“I don’t know how much money you need to be happy, but I’m good,” said Berglund.

The 31-year-old Berglund had spent his previous 12 years with the St. Louis Blues and had a modified no-trade clause with the ability to reject 20 teams in any proposed deal. Unfortunately, the Blues were able to get around the no-trade clause as it was voided when Berglund failed to turn in his list of teams before the set deadline. Johnston reports that the trade affected him greatly.

He struggled in Buffalo, eventually getting scratched, before he finally decided he had enough. He decided in mid-December last year that he had enough and walked away. The Sabres fined and suspended him at first, but eventually the two sides agreed to mutually terminate his deal.

Bergund now is captain of Djurgardens in the SHL, where he makes quite a bit less than what he would make had he remained with the Sabres.

  • While many will always think of the hit that Ottawa Senators forward Scott Sabourin took on Nov. 2, many have forgotten that the other player in the frightening collision was Boston Bruins forward David Backes, who has now sat out 13 games with an upper-body injury. Backes believes he is very close to returning to Boston’s lineup, claiming that he might be ready to return on Sunday against Montreal, although head coach Bruce Cassidy will make the final decision, according to NHL.com’s Eric Russo. The 35-year-old Backes has only played in eight games for the Bruins this year, while averaging just 8:17 of ATOI.
  • There were some questions of the status of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn who left Friday’s game against the Capitals with a lower-body injury after being clipped. While the team was hoping the injury would be day-to-day, the Lightning announced that Coburn will be out indefinitely. Coburn hasn’t received the playing time that the 34-year-old is used to. After averaging more than 16 minutes of ATOI over the past four years, he is averaging only 13:40 this season in 17 contests despite signing a two-year extension this summer with the team. The fact that he’s at the bottom of the depth chart, might make him a little easier to replace if he is out longer than the team hoped for.
  • After the Ottawa Senators placed starting goalie Craig Anderson on injured reserve on Thursday, the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the veteran goalie won’t necessarily be out long. The scribe writes the Anderson joined the Senators on their road trip and the 38-year-old skated with the team Saturday, suggesting he may be ready to return soon. The team started Marcus Hogberg tonight in his place.

Boston Bruins| Injury| Ottawa Senators| Tampa Bay Lightning Braydon Coburn| Craig Anderson| David Backes| Patrik Berglund

1 comment

Patrik Berglund Signs In Sweden

July 2, 2019 at 8:08 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

After considering a return to North America, former Buffalo Sabres forward Patrik Berglund will be staying in Sweden. He has signed a one-year contract with Djurgardens in the SHL.

Berglund, 31, famously walked away from more than $10MM on his final contract with the Sabres in 2018 due to mental health issues, leaving the team suddenly. He had played just 23 games for Buffalo since being included in the return for Ryan O’Reilly, and scored just four times during his time there. The three remaining seasons on his contract were terminated, and Berglund disappeared from the public eye for some time.

While he recently started exploring options to return, a year in Sweden to prove he is dedicated and productive again might have to be the first step. Once a consistent third-line center for the St. Louis Blues, Berglund is now several years removed from his last 20 goal season.

Buffalo Sabres| SHL Patrik Berglund

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Snapshots: Duchene, Donskoi, Vrana, Engelland, McElhinney, Berglund

June 29, 2019 at 8:58 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 12 Comments

While speculation has center Matt Duchene likely signing a long-term deal with the Nashville Predators, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes that the Montreal Canadiens aren’t out of the running yet. While Nashville may still be the favorite to land the star center, Friedman writes that one of his sources says that it’s not locked in and Montreal still is in the race.

Duchene, who grew up a fan of the Canadiens, would be a big addition for the Canadiens if they can land him. Duchene would likely become their top center in hopes of vaulting Montreal back into a playoff spot.

  • TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that while things are still in the works, he believes that the Colorado Avalanche and an unidentified team are the finalists to sign unrestricted free agent forward Joonas Donskoi. The 27-year-old scored 14 goals and 37 points last season and could provide the team with a solid middle-six option for the Avalanche. While LeBrun notes that he doesn’t know who the other team is, he believes that Buffalo and Edmonton are not in the running anymore.
  • The Washington Capitals managed to trade off one of their key restricted free agents in Andre Burakovsky Friday in hopes of saving some cap room, but even being free of that contract, the money is tight in Washington. In fact, Washington general manager Brian MacLellan said that because the NHL salary cap was lower than expected ($81.5MM), the team will likely be forced to sign restricted free agent Jakub Vrana to a short-term deal, according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulliti. Washington had initially planned to lock up Vrana to a long-term deal when the team had expected the cap to be set at $83MM, but with the number being lower than expected, the MacLellan doesn’t believe the team has the money to sign him long-term.
  • Vegas Golden Knights President of Hockey Operations George McPhee confirmed that the team is close to signing veteran unrestricted free agent defenseman Deryk Engelland, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. The 37-year-old had a down season last year, but the veteran who actually played in Vegas in the ECHL before the Golden Knights came about, has been a community leader there. He is likely expected to take a bottom-six role next season and could find himself more in a 6th/7th role on defense.
  • TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Montreal Canadiens are among three teams that are interested in signing veteran goaltender Curtis McElhinney. The 36-year-old had a great season in Carolina after the Hurricanes claimed him off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the beginning of the year. He finished the season with a 2.58 GAA and a .912 save percentage in 33 appearances. LeBrun also adds that it doesn’t look like Toronto is one of the other two teams.
  • Former NHL player Patrik Berglund, who walked out on the Buffalo Sabres in the middle of last season, is exploring a return the the NHL and has several teams interested, according to Fox Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland. Berglund, who was packaged to Buffalo in the Ryan O’Reilly trade last offseason, didn’t like it in Buffalo and finally requested that his contract to be terminated after playing just 23 games in a reduced role. The 31-year-old scored 17 goals in the 2017-18 season, but scored just twice before walking away this year.

Buffalo Sabres| Carolina Hurricanes| Colorado Avalanche| ECHL| George McPhee| Montreal Canadiens| Nashville Predators| Snapshots| Toronto Maple Leafs| Vegas Golden Knights| Washington Capitals Andre Burakovsky| Curtis McElhinney| Deryk Engelland| Elliotte Friedman| Jakub Vrana| Joonas Donskoi| Matt Duchene| Patrik Berglund| Salary Cap

12 comments

Snapshots: Blues Injuries, Marleau, Berglund, Gretzky, Quartexx

June 2, 2019 at 5:54 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 3 Comments

After a forgettable performance in their first home Stanley Cup Finals game since 1970 on Saturday, the St. Louis Blues might get back a key player for Monday’s Game Four. Defenseman Vince Dunn was seen as a full participant in their optional practice on Sunday, according to NHL.com’s Lou Korac. While he’s still day-to-day, it’s extremely possible he may be ready to go on Monday.

The injury news may not be as promising for forward Robert Thomas, who has now missed two games with an undisclosed injury, although it is now believed it’s a wrist injury that the 19-year-old has suffered. Thomas practiced at Sunday’s optional skate, but NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reports that he didn’t handle any pucks and was following Robby Fabbri in drills, suggesting he’s not ready to return to the lineup.

  • With continued rumors surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs forward Patrick Marleau and his interest in moving to a west coast team, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Maple Leafs have already had discussions with the Arizona Coyotes, one of the three teams that Marleau is reportedly interested in playing for next season. LeBrun reports that Arizona didn’t show significant interest and he senses that the Coyotes would require a premium prospect sent along with Marleau if the team is willing to take Marleau’s contract off of Toronto’s hands.
  • After walking away in December from millions of dollars, former Buffalo Sabres forward Patrik Berglund said on the Hockey Sense Podcast with Andy Strickland that he doesn’t regret leaving the Sabres and now that he’s had a chance to recuperate, intends to return to the ice next season. Berglund, who would have had three years remaining on the contract he signed back in 2017, choose not to report to the team in December and was suspended and then given his unconditional release and had his contract terminated. “I’m doing really well, back home in Sweden and just kind of hanging out right now, getting back to work through working out and doing all that and I’m looking forward to playing hockey next year somewhere, so it’s all good,” Berglund said. No word on whether he intends to return to the NHL or play overseas.
  • The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that while there has been no official word, it looks like Edmonton Oilers former interim general manager Keith Gretzky is likely to stay within the organization and could fill a dual role. He is expected to return to his old role of assistant general manager with an emphasis on the amateur side, while also having a bigger role with Edmonton’s AHL franchise, the Bakersfield Condors, which was the same role that Craig MacTavish held before he left the organization.
  • In agent news, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the player agency Quartexx is merging with Darren Ferris and DHG Sports Agency to form an even bigger agency. Among the players that DHG brings over to Quartexx are Toronto’s Mitch Marner, New Jersey’s Taylor Hall, and Detroit’s Andreas Athanasiou and Filip Zadina. Friedman adds that the merger shouldn’t have any effect on any negotiations.

Buffalo Sabres| Edmonton Oilers| Injury| Snapshots| St. Louis Blues| Toronto Maple Leafs| Utah Mammoth Andreas Athanasiou| Craig MacTavish| Elliotte Friedman| Filip Zadina| Mitch Marner| Patrick Marleau| Patrik Berglund

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Snapshots: Berglund, Stempniak, Niedermayer

January 19, 2019 at 9:25 am CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

Patrik Berglund will not be returning to the NHL this season. He won’t be playing any hockey at all, in fact. A month after the veteran forward was suspended by the Buffalo Sabres for failing to report to the team and then subsequently waived and terminated, Berglund has opened up to the local newspaper in his home town of Vasteras, Sweden. Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News dissected that article for North American audiences, filling in the gaps of the strange series of events that led to Berglund’s departure. Playing in his first season in Buffalo following the trade that sent Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues, Berglund states that he “lost his passion and joy for hockey”. As a result, Berglund opted not to join the Sabres for a two-game road trip, which earned his suspension and eventually his release. Even though Berglund walked away from more than $12MM in the four remaining years of his contract, he doesn’t regret the decision, saying that his mental health means more than money right now. It is for that exact same reason that he has decided not to resume playing, in the NHL or in Europe, this season. Berglund did express remorse for leaving the Sabres short-handed – even if his termination does help the team long-term –  and reiterated that the club and his teammates did nothing wrong. Instead, it simply seems Berglund was so disappointed in his exit from St. Louis that he lost the will to play. Berglund stated that “I hope I can find the joy to play again. Right now, I can’t tell whether I will play again or not. I’m in the process of healing.” A well-regarded two-way forward and only 30 years old, Berglund will have the opportunity to play again somewhere if he so chooses, but it seems that the decision of his next steps professionally is still a ways off.

  • Lee Stempniak joined the Boston Bruins on a PTO in training camp this fall, but did not earn a contract. Yet, months later, he continues to practice with the team on a regular basis. At this point, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Stempniak will be earning a contract with the team once rosters expand for the stretch run and postseason, much like how the Bruins added Brian Gionta late last season. Stempniak, 35, is not the player he once was, but surely could have found employment overseas this season if not for the promise of a future payoff with Boston. Stempniak is just a year removed from an 82-game, 40-point season with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016-17 and the year before that he recorded 51 points, including ten in 19 games with these same Boston Bruins. With the emergence of Peter Cehlarik over the past week as a good match on the second line with David Krejci and Jake Debrusk, paired with the additional option the signing of right-shot Stempniak would bring, the speculation is that the Bruins could be content with their second-line right wing situation and instead be focused on adding a third-line center at the trade deadline. However, given his familiarity with the roster and determination to return to the NHL, Stempniak could end up being the most valuable piece that the Bruins add in the coming weeks.
  • The son of Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer has made his college selection and it will turn some heads. Southern California-native Jackson Niedermayer has opted to stay close to home and has committed to Arizona State University. His current team, the BCHL powerhouse Penticton Vees, announced the decision, adding that Niedermayer expects to play two more seasons with the team before making the jump to the NCAA. Niedermayer, 17, had his season cut short by a hip injury this year, making his NHL Draft stock in his first year of eligibility a question mark. Nevertheless, his hockey genes and previous production at the U-16 level in California could be enough to earn a selection this year. Regardless of his draft status, when Niedermayer joins Arizona State, he will easily be the biggest name to have played for the fledgling independent program that is still gaining its foothold in college hockey.

Boston Bruins| Buffalo Sabres| Carolina Hurricanes| Injury| NCAA| Snapshots| St. Louis Blues Brian Gionta| David Krejci| Hall of Fame| Jake DeBrusk| Lee Stempniak| Patrik Berglund| Peter Cehlarik

2 comments

Patrik Berglund Placed On Unconditional Waivers, Will Have Contract Terminated

December 20, 2018 at 11:01 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 11 Comments

Thursday: Berglund has cleared waivers, and is now expected to have his contract terminated.

Wednesday: The Buffalo Sabres have put an end to the situation revolving around Patrik Berglund. The team today placed Berglund on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. Berglund is currently suspended by the team for failing to report. Terminating the contract will completely remove Berglund’s remaining $3.85MM cap hit and average salary, which was meant to continue through 2021-22. He will be an unrestricted free agent.

Assuming that the contract termination is of the mutually agreed upon variety—opposed to the “material breach” of contract kind that ended Jake Dotchin’s Tampa Bay career—Berglund is walking away from more than $12MM in order to leave the Sabres. CapFriendly explains how exactly these terminations are perhaps mislabeled as mutual, though do usually give the player the opportunity to report and avoid the termination.

In recent days, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that Berglund failed to submit his partial no-trade clause in time to block a deal to Buffalo in the first place, when he was included in a trade that saw Ryan O’Reilly go to the St. Louis Blues. The veteran forward was also apparently frustrated with his role on the team and being scratched multiple times in the early part of the season.

For the Sabres, this actually comes as something of a blessing. Berglund had played quite poorly for Buffalo this year, and even in St. Louis had never taken the next step to become a consistent top-six forward. Though he does have some offensive upside given his multiple 20-goal seasons, the Sabres have other players who can take over the load for much cheaper. Wiping his cap hit from the books going forward will only help the team re-sign a player like Jeff Skinner, who is scheduled for unrestricted free agency and could be looking for a huge payday.

It’s not clear yet what Berglund’s plans are, but after termination he will be free to sign with any team in the NHL. There undoubtedly will be interest, but it will likely be hard to trust him after this latest stunt. Berglund’s absence was originally explained as a sickness, but after not showing up to the team he was indefinitely suspended.

Buffalo Sabres| Waivers Patrik Berglund

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Buffalo Sabres Suspend Patrik Berglund For “Failure To Report”

December 15, 2018 at 9:30 am CDT | by Zach Leach 9 Comments

In a strange turn of events for the Buffalo Sabres, the team has announced that forward Patrik Berglund has been suspended indefinitely for “failure to report to the team”. Berglund has missed the past two games for the Sabres with what the team reported as a sickness, but which now seems like something else entirely. Few details have emerged yet about this bizarre situation.

Berglund, 30, is in his first season with the Sabres after being traded away by the St. Louis Blues this off-season as part of the Ryan O’Reilly return. While Berglund began the season as Buffalo’s second-line center and was reportedly looking forward to mentoring the teams many young Swedish players, things haven’t played out so nicely for the veteran pivot. Berglund has spent the majority of the early season skating in the bottom-six and has just four points in 23 games, by far the worst scoring rate of his career. Berglund missed five games due to injury in the first two months of the season, but was also twice tabbed as a healthy scratch. Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington reports that Berglund did not take too kindly to being benched. Harrington adds that Berglund has also been very closed off with the media during his time in Buffalo, in retrospect probably a reflection of his frustration with his current situation.

Interestingly, Berglund’s alleged abandonment of the team comes without even a whisper of trade demands. Of course, those talks will now begin, regardless of whether or not there is a resolution to the present situation. Berglund is clearly unhappy with the Sabres and the team has sent a clear message that his behavior will not be tolerated. A change of scenery seems necessary and the sooner the better. Berglund is in the second season of a five-year contract signed in St. Louis. The deal carries a $3.85MM cap hit, slightly steep and lengthy for his current level of play, and a limited No-Trade Clause with a 20-team no-trade list, although Berglund is unlikely to decline any move out of Buffalo. The veteran forward is capable of putting up 30+ points per season and brings size and net front presence. He can also line up at all three forward positions and is familiar with both special teams assignments. With that said, Berglund’s current stunt – albeit without all the details yet known – on top of his poor production and unfriendly contract is not going to help his trade stock whatsoever. Hopefully the two sides come to terms on a solution to this situation sooner rather than later.

Buffalo Sabres| Injury| Newsstand| St. Louis Blues Patrik Berglund| Ryan O'Reilly

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What Your Team Is Thankful For: Buffalo Sabres

November 25, 2018 at 2:57 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Buffalo Sabres. 

What are the Sabres most thankful for?

Can Sabres’ fans be any more thankful for the fact that the team, the same team that finished last in the standings one season ago, is currently in first place in the entire NHL with 34 points. That may be short lived as several teams just beneath them play before the Sabres go for their 10th straight win on Tuesday, but few could have predicted the success for second-year general manager Jason Botterill and head coach Phil Housley this season.

The Sabres shook up their entire roster from a year ago and made critical additions at every level, which included adding Jeff Skinner to their top line on offense, adding a number of solid players to their depth chart including Vladimir Sobotka, Patrik Berglund, Casey Mittelstadt, Conor Sheary and Tage Thompson, while adding 2018 first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin (who has been as good as advertised) on defense. That doesn’t include the team’s success in goal. Those moves have stabilized the team’s defense as they ranked sixth in the league in goals against this year as well as having one of the best penalty killing units in the league as well.

Who are the Sabres most thankful for?

While it would make sense to put Skinner and his 18 goals in this spot, we can save him for later. The tandem that has really impressed this year has been the play of the Sabres goaltenders Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark. The team, which struggled a year ago with Robin Lehner and Chad Johnson has thrived this year. Much of that could be the improvement of the team’s defense, but at the same time both goalies have been better than anyone had expected.

While Hutton was the top goaltender on the market this offseason, most people felt that Hutton was not capable of being a No. 1 goaltender, often comparing him to Carolina’s Scott Darling. However, Hutton has been better than advertised, already netting 11 wins and posting a solid 2.53 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 18 appearances. The untested Ullmark also has looked good, although the team has been careful to not overwhelm the 25-year-old. However in five appearances, he’s also posted a 2.52 GAA and an even more impressive .926 save percentage.

What would the Sabres be even more thankful for?

More production from their youth. The team is very young and is loaded with talent at the AHL level as well. And while players like Dahlin have been impressive, the team could take another step in the right direction if they can develop some of their young core even quicker. Dahlin has played well sharing No. 1 defenseman duties with Rasmus Ristolainen, but he’s capable of even more. The team has gotten just four goals from Mittelstadt and would like to see him develop into a consistent presence in the top six at some point.

Others like Thompson, who has suddenly starting showing off some offense with three goals in his last four games, as well as Evan Rodrigues need to continue to develop as well to allow the team to reach peak efficiency both now and in the future. The team is also loaded with a number of prospects including defensemen Lawrence Pilut and Brendan Guhle, while they have several potential options at forward as well in C.J. Smith, Daniel O’Regan and Alexander Nylander waiting for an opportunity.

What should be on the Sabres’ Holiday Wish List?

The team has made it clear they intend to work on an extension with Skinner next month, but the team really needs to make sure it can lock down the 26-year-old who leads the team in scoring this year and is only six goals away from beating his 24 goals from last season with Carolina. Skinner’s deal will be the main contract the team must deal with this offseason as the team has just three unrestricted free agents (Jason Pominville and Matt Moulson being the others). Skinner’s pairing with Jack Eichel has produced a powerful top line in the NHL and should only get better as the two continue to get comfortable with each other.

With the expiring contracts of Moulson and Pominville, although the team may want to attempt to retain the latter, there should be plenty of money to lock up Skinner now, so they won’t have to worry about him losing him this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Buffalo Sabres| Jason Botterill| Phil Housley| Thankful Series 2018-19 Alexander Nylander| Carter Hutton| Casey Mittelstadt| Chad Johnson| Conor Sheary| Evan Rodrigues| Jack Eichel| Jason Pominville| Jeff Skinner| Linus Ullmark| Matt Moulson| Patrik Berglund

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