Buffalo Sabres Q and A Season Preview with Bill Hoppe
I caught up with Bill Hoppe from the Buffalo Hockey Beat to preview the Sabres season. Enjoy.
ML: What will it take for the Sabres to make the playoffs this season?
BH: If the Sabres keep progressing like they have over the last two seasons, I think they’ll make it. Their growth since they hit their nadir in 2020-21 has been fascinating to watch. Guys like Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson and other members of their young core have consistently improved to the point where they rank among the NHL’s best players. The lineup, in my opinion, is the deepest it has been since those post-lockout teams.
Now, they have a huge question mark in goal. Right now, their top option, Devon Levi, has played seven NHL games. You also wonder which team they can overtake. The Atlantic Division has some heavyweights. Which one will fall out?
ML: If they make it, can they make a run?
BH: Yes. Just get in and anything can happen.
ML: Why is Don Granato so perfect for this group?
BH: He’s very much an ideal modern coach in that he’s great with the Xs and Os but he also relates well to his players. They know he cares about him. He has a lot of varied experience in just the last decade – NHL, junior, NCAA – and you can tell he understands the modern athlete well.
ML: When you watch Tage Thompson play hockey, what do you see?
BH: I see one of the league’s elite players and a guy who’s hungry for more. He’s not satisfied with 47 goals and 94 points. He knows he can reach a higher level. Given his rapid improvement, I think he can do more. Remember, this is a guy who couldn’t crack the lineup as a winger in 2020-21. Now’s he’s one of the league’s best centers. His rapid development has been remarkable.
ML: Devon Levi. Have you seen enough? Is he the franchise goalie?
BH: Not yet. I need to see more than seven games. And he’ll have to battle Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie for the job in training camp. I will say I believe Levi could bypass the minors completely and be the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie this season. Goalies usually take years to develop. He’s so driven and talented he jumped straight from college and started critical late-season games over more established talent.
ML: As of this writing, who else should the Sabres lock up long term?
BH: Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, both of whom I considered cornerstones, should be next.
ML: Alex Tuch grew up here in CNY and loved the Sabres. Now he is a key player for the team. What’s he like to be around?
BH: He’s a fun personality who always seems to be smiling. He’s living a dream by playing for the Sabres. You can tell he cherishes it. His impact in the dressing room, in addition to the ice, makes him such a valuable asset.
ML: Prediction time. What does Buffalo do this year?
BH: I say they end the playoff drought.
ML: Thanks Bill, keep crushing.
BH: Thanks, Mike!
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