The Buffalo Sabres’ first NHL Global Series since 2011 took them to Stockholm, Sweden for a pair of games against the Tampa Bay Lightning over the weekend of Nov. 8 and 9. Both contests ended in defeat for the young squad. Despite great performances from centers Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, the Sabres found themselves unable to create scoring chances from the depth chart, scoring five goals over both games and conceding eight.
Worse news, even, is that no forward on the team outside of the top line has found the net in almost 326 minutes of ice time. Part of this issue may certainly be tied to the team’s schedule toughening up since the end of October, with the Sabres playing the Coyotes, Capitals, Islanders and now the Lightning twice in Sweden—all good teams. A few days of practice back home might be just what head coach Ralph Krueger needs to get the team’s offensive capabilities back into form.
Alternatively, according to Jeremy White of WGR, Buffalo may be in the trade market for a Western Conference forward. Although this is not the first time in the past few months Buffalo has been linked to this kind of potential move, the options they might be looking for haven’t been narrowed down too much. As the team has faced somewhat of a logjam on defense, it’s certainly possible a defenseman could be moved for someone like left-wing Jason Zucker of the Minnesota Wild, who has shown signs of potentially wanting to rebuild after a tough couple of years themselves.
The obvious piece the Sabres would be potentially willing to move would be defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who was rumored to have submitted a trade request in the off-season and has struggled defensively in past years on a squad that is now loaded with defensive talent. General manager Jason Botterill has been surprisingly tight-lipped about the possibility of moving on from certain players, so it’s anyone’s guess what might happen in the event of a trade.
Going into their European trip, the team found itself on the end of a three-game losing streak after starting their season off hot with a record of 9-2-1. Coming back home, they sport a record of 9-6-2, a downward trend that might be reminiscent of last year, when the Sabres missed playoffs despite being first place in the league at the end of November. The short break at the end of the trip might help the team recalibrate and get back to creating positive results.
However, the team’s trip to Sweden was not without its bright spots. Reinhart was able to score three goals and one assist across both contests, lifting his points total to 15 through 17 games. Eichel also managed a two-point night in the team’s second game, lifting himself to 19 points through 17 games. The former second overall picks are both currently on pace for the best season of their careers, which would certainly be a vital factor in the Sabres’ playoff race. In addition to this, rookie right-wing Victor Olofsson scored his first even-strength goal of the year, after his first six goals were all on the power play, an NHL record. This is an important sign for the young player’s role on the top line going forward, as he takes himself to 12 points through 17 games played.