Buffalo welcomes a new GM
Buffalo Sabres (14-14-4) vs Philadelphia Flyers (17-9-6)
Puck Drop: 7:30 pm Eastern Time | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY
TV: MSG, ESPN+, Hulu
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 17-9-6 | 40 PTS
Last Game: 4-1 win against Montreal Canadiens
Division Ranking: 3rd, Metropolitan
PP: 26th, 15.9% (14/88) [Sabres: 13th, 20.2% (20/99)]
PK: 12th, 81.8% (81/99) [Sabres: 3rd, 84.9% (79/93)]
What to Watch
1. A New Era
The Buffalo Sabres enter another new phase of their existence under the ownership of Terry Pegula. Jarmo Kekäläinen will be the first General Manager with league experience at the position in 46 years, we’ll see if that will be enough to break this 14-year postseason drought.
In his introductory press conference, Kekäläinen said all the right things about building a team whose identity is based on competing and being relentless. In interviews after the first practice since the firing of Kevyn Adams, captain Rasmus Dahlin and free-agent-to-be Alex Tuch were almost exuberant in their confidence about making the playoffs and their belief in the new man.
Will that translate into the team’s play right away? The next few games will tell.
2. Audition Time
Kekäläinen has been known to be unhesitant to pull the trigger when a move needs to be made. The Sabres have lots of pieces but aren’t quite playing like the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. It makes sense that he ships out a young player and/or prospect for a veteran that will bring leadership to the locker room and provide more stability to the lineup.
The new GM talked about resolving the three-headed goalie monster, so that seems like an area to watch even though most likely candidates Edmonton Oilers look to have resolved their situation.
There’s also the Tuch situation – Jarmo said he will work to get that sorted out, but if the rumours are to be believed and the forward is looking for Adrian Kempe like money and term (8 years, $10.625M AAV) then he’s likely as good as gone.
There’s very few players that should think themselves untouchable on this roster, and they’d better be playing like they believe it too.
3. Get Ahead of Parity
The last time the Sabres were at .500 this season, they traveled to Philly to take on the Flyers looking to get into the positive side of the win column. Well guess what, they jumped into the lead but then gave up three goals in about a minute and they got whipped.
With a new GM in charge, a sense of positivity seeping throughout the roster and a home game at KBC, the Sabres better come out absolutely blazing in their black-and-reds and sustain that intensity for 60 minutes. The crowd will be up for the game, Buffalo better be too.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Josh Doan – Tage Thompson – Tyson Kozak
Zach Benson – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Noah Ostlund – Josh Norris – Alex Tuch
Jordan Greenway – Josh Dunne – Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin – Mattias Samuelsson
Bowen Byram – Conor Timmins/Jacob Bryson (Timmins questionable)
Owen Power – Michael Kesselring
Goalies: Alex Lyon (projected starter), Ukko Pekka Luukkonen
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards
Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Carl Grundstrom – Sean Couturier – Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Nicolas Deslauriers – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway
Defense
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae – Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler – Rasmus Ristolainen
Goalies: Samuel Ersson (projected starter), Dan Vladar
