2017–18 Buffalo Sabres season
The 2017–18 Buffalo Sabres season was the 48th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.[1] The Sabres missed the playoffs again, finishing last in the division for the second straight year and last overall in the league.
2017–18 Buffalo Sabres | |
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Division | 8th Atlantic |
Conference | 16th Eastern |
2017–18 record | 25–45–12 |
Home record | 11–25–5 |
Road record | 14–20–7 |
Goals for | 199 |
Goals against | 280 |
Team information | |
General Manager | Jason Botterill |
Coach | Phil Housley |
Captain | Vacant |
Alternate captains | Zach Bogosian Jack Eichel Kyle Okposo Ryan O'Reilly |
Arena | KeyBank Center |
Minor league affiliate(s) | Rochester Americans (AHL) Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Jack Eichel Sam Reinhart (25) |
Assists | Jack Eichel (39) |
Points | Jack Eichel (64) |
Penalty minutes | Jordan Nolan (69) |
Plus/minus | Casey Mittelstadt (+1) |
Wins | Robin Lehner (14) |
Goals against average | Adam Wilcox (0.00) |
Standings
Pos | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | z – Tampa Bay Lightning | 82 | 54 | 23 | 5 | 48 | 296 | 236 | +60 | 113 |
2 | x – Boston Bruins | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 47 | 270 | 214 | +56 | 112 |
3 | x – Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 49 | 26 | 7 | 42 | 277 | 232 | +45 | 105 |
4 | Florida Panthers | 82 | 44 | 30 | 8 | 41 | 248 | 246 | +2 | 96 |
5 | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 30 | 39 | 13 | 25 | 217 | 255 | −38 | 73 |
6 | Montreal Canadiens | 82 | 29 | 40 | 13 | 27 | 209 | 264 | −55 | 71 |
7 | Ottawa Senators | 82 | 28 | 43 | 11 | 26 | 221 | 291 | −70 | 67 |
8 | Buffalo Sabres | 82 | 25 | 45 | 12 | 24 | 199 | 280 | −81 | 62 |
Pos | Div | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ME | x – Columbus Blue Jackets | 82 | 45 | 30 | 7 | 39 | 242 | 230 | +12 | 97 |
2 | ME | x – New Jersey Devils | 82 | 44 | 29 | 9 | 39 | 248 | 244 | +4 | 97 |
3 | AT | Florida Panthers | 82 | 44 | 30 | 8 | 41 | 248 | 246 | +2 | 96 |
4 | ME | Carolina Hurricanes | 82 | 36 | 35 | 11 | 33 | 228 | 256 | −28 | 83 |
5 | ME | New York Islanders | 82 | 35 | 37 | 10 | 32 | 264 | 296 | −32 | 80 |
6 | ME | New York Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 31 | 231 | 268 | −37 | 77 |
7 | AT | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 30 | 39 | 13 | 25 | 217 | 255 | −38 | 73 |
8 | AT | Montreal Canadiens | 82 | 29 | 40 | 13 | 27 | 209 | 264 | −55 | 71 |
9 | AT | Ottawa Senators | 82 | 28 | 43 | 11 | 26 | 221 | 291 | −70 | 67 |
10 | AT | Buffalo Sabres | 82 | 25 | 45 | 12 | 24 | 199 | 280 | −81 | 62 |
Off-season
General manager Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma were both fired at the end of the previous season. Two former Sabres players were hired in their places: Jason Botterill, at the time a front office executive with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was hired as general manager, while Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Phil Housley, at the time defensive coordinator for the Nashville Predators, was named head coach.
The Sabres once again held a summer development camp during the second week of July. In contrast to the previous two seasons, no full Blue/White game was played; the four-team three-on-three tournament was reprised. Team White, led by 2017 first-round draft pick Casey Mittelstadt, won the tournament.[2] The team will host its third annual Prospects Challenge in September; the tournament will expand to four teams, with the Pittsburgh Penguins joining the returning Sabres, New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins in the tournament.[3]
Schedule and results
Preseason
The Sabres released their preseason schedule on June 19, 2017.[4]
2017 preseason game log: 1–4–1 (Home: 1–2–1 ; Road: 0–2–0) | ||||||||||
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# | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Decision | Attendance | Record | Recap | |
1 | September 18 | Carolina | 3–2 | Buffalo | OT | Ullmark | 16,310 | 0–0–1 | Recap | |
2 | September 19[a] | Pittsburgh | 3–4 | Buffalo | OT | — | — | 1–0–1 | Recap | |
3 | September 22[b] | Buffalo | 0–3 | Toronto | — | — | 1–1–1 | Recap | ||
4 | September 23 | Toronto | 3–1 | Buffalo | Lehner | 17,345 | 1–2–1 | Recap | ||
5 | September 27 | Buffalo | 4–5 | Pittsburgh | Johnson | 17,693 | 1–3–1 | Recap | ||
6 | September 29 | NY Islanders | 3–1 | Buffalo | Lehner | 16,967 | 1–4–1 | Recap | ||
Notes: |
Regular season
The team's regular season schedule was published on June 22, 2017.[5]
2017–18 game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Legend: Win (2 points) Loss (0 points) Overtime/shootout loss (1 point) |
Player statistics
Final stats.[6]
- Skaters
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- Goaltenders
Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | OT | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
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Robin Lehner | 53 | 50 | 2,852:01 | 14 | 26 | 9 | 143 | 3.01 | 1,560 | .908 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Chad Johnson | 36 | 29 | 1,773:32 | 10 | 16 | 3 | 105 | 3.55 | 962 | .891 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Linus Ullmark | 5 | 3 | 240:18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2.00 | 123 | .935 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Adam Wilcox | 1 | 0 | 38:39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 14 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Sabres. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.
Transactions
The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2017–18 season.
Trades
Notes:
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