Through 42 games the Sabres sit in 27th place in the league and a point out of last place in the East. For a season that started with a high ankle sprain to the franchise player, it hasn't got much better. The team has showed streaks of 5-6 games where they're competitive and can string together a solid resume of wins. Then you have games like Friday night where they allow 5 goals to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Okposo solid - selected for first All-Star team
For what has been an up and down season for just about everyone on the team save for Rasmus Ristolainen, Okposo has been a solid and steady presence on the Sabres first line. Okposo has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points and has been far and away the most consistent player on the offense. Obviously Jack and ROR are more skilled forwards, but both have missed significant time this year. Okposo has been everything you could have asked for when we signed him in the offseason.
Jack's impact on the team
After coming back from his high ankle sprain in late November, Jack's impact on the offense has been undeniable. In the first 21 games without Eichel the team averaged 1.86 goals per game. In the last 21 they average 2.62. Eichel is in the top 5 in basically every puck possession stat and has 8 goals, 7 assists for 15 points in 21 games. Anyone who has watched the Sabres play this year can attest that the team simply needs to add weapons around Jack. Surrounding him with a 37 year old Brian Gionta and a grinder like Marcus Foligno (who I love on this team and think undeniably earned himself an extension with the team) isn't going to get the best out of the skilled young gun.
What is Tyler Ennis going to show us
Ennis is scheduled to come back to the team tomorrow afternoon at home against Dallas. The often injured former 20 goal scorer has been virtually invisible this year in the 12 games he has played. He has 1 goal and 1 assist and his goal was an absolute joke. Tyler has shown in the past his skill on the ice - he just hasn't showed much of anything since he had his season ending concussion last year. What Ennis can do in the final 40 games of the year could shape the Sabres' playoff hopes. Can he be the offensive threat the team has been so desperate for all year?
Playoff Chances
The playoffs are all but out of the picture unless the team can put a serious winning streak together. Not a string of a few wins and OT losses. A solid string of 6-7 wins will get them back in the hunt. Right now most metrics give the team about a 3% chance of making the playoffs. (Insert Dumb and Dumber so you're telling me there's a chance gif).
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