The wait is over for the Buffalo Sabres.
After the arrival of Jarmo Kekäläinen, the course of the Sabers took a big turn. Petri Saarelainen / AOP
The Buffalo Sabers are playing in the NHL playoffs after a 15-year hiatus. The Sabres’ playoff spot was secured when the Detroit Red Wings lost to the New York Rangers on Saturday night.
Buffalo’s plowing over the past few years has been a sad joke, and fans of other clubs have even made jokes at the expense of the Sabres.
In 14 non-playoff seasons, the team collected more than 90 regular season points only once. So the place in the playoffs has not even been particularly close.
During that time, the team has been led by five different GMs and seven different head coaches.
– There are guys on the team who have been here longer and who were brought here as part of the playoff team. Of course they are excited about the opportunity to prove their level in a way, striker Josh Doan quoth For The Athletic.
Buffalo’s season also started poorly, with a balance of 11–14–4. During the first third, the team crawled at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Former GM Kevyn Adams had to pay for a miserable start at his workplace. Buffalo washed in his place Jarmo Kekäläinen in mid-December. Since Kekälä’s arrival, Buffalo has been the hottest team in the entire NHL.
Although the Sabres’ playoff spot is now assured, they still have a lot to play for. The team is still fighting to win the entire Eastern Conference – and the Atlantic Division.
The Sabers are tied for the division lead in points (100) with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lightning has played fewer matches (75). The Eastern Conference is led by the Carolina Hurricanes, who have collected 102 points in 75 games.
