There’s a weird feeling around the Sabres right now. Buffalo made a bunch of moves around the draft, sending well thought-of players away for pretty solid returns. They are coming off a surprising playoff run, and would be looking to build on that next year. This is where the business of hockey smashes into the fan experience.
Before blogging and the 24/7 media cycle and social media came about, we wouldn’t be privy to a lot of the information that’s out there. There’s a good side to it (a lot of players are more fun than you’d think, or have inspiring stories), but there’s a downside (I know way too much about their politics). You get invested in a guy – maybe even buy his jersey! – and it’s never been easier for that guy end up somewhere else. Trades, free agency, offer sheets, buyouts, and we know every option because there’s a website that will break down every bit.
With Tuch and Byram especially, we know both are highly skilled guys who played hard for this team during some rough times. In a perfect world (and a better cap situation), Bo and Alex would be key pieces on the next playoff run. Now they’ll be in different uniforms. 30 years ago, I wouldn’t know that Byram’s agent believes he bamboozled Kevyn Adams for the bridge deal that made the departure a near-guarantee. Now intimate details about negotiations regularly leak, or get brought up on podcasts.
That leaves Buffalo fans in a weird spot. Those who are dialed in knew Byram wasn’t likely to stick. They knew Tuch would be tough to fit under the cap without a lot of work. The moves that were made surrounding those guys were good, possibly great. But at the end of the day, is Buffalo any *better*? I don’t think you can say yes. Sure, the hope is players like Östlund, Helenius, even Crevier can step up, but there’s no guarantees with young players. There’s a lot of guys under 25 on the roster, which is great when you’re paying them rookie deal money. They’ve got to contribute on the ice, and while all of these players seem really talented, you never know until the puck hits the ice.
The Buffalo Sabres have a pair of Prospects Showcase games against the Bruins in September. I plan to be there, as it’ll be the next time we can see these young players in action.
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