The Buffalo Sabres' roster remains largely unchanged heading into the season, but they made a big change behind the bench, where Ralph Krueger takes over. Here's everything you need to know about the Sabres heading into the 2019-20 NHL season:
The big question: Can Ralph Krueger pave over the potholes?
Krueger, 60, returns to the NHL with a formidable reputation and a thin hockey coaching résumé. He spent 48 games with the Edmonton Oilers in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season before unceremoniously getting fired, to the protest of his young players. He was successful as coach of the Swiss national team and led Team Europe, aka one of only two teams that cared, to the World Cup of Hockey finals in 2016.
What can he provide the Sabres? Hopefully the kind of system, structure and discipline that will paper over the holes in the Buffalo lineup. Jack Eichel is a star. Jeff Skinner scored 40 goals skating with him. Sam Reinhart and new arrival Marcus Johansson are consistent scorers. Last year's rookie sensation Rasmus Dahlin leads an improved defense, while Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark have potential in goal. But two and a half years into his tenure as general manager, Jason Botterill hasn't put together a roster with the kind of quality depth you need to make the playoffs in the East. Can Krueger compensate for that?
Offseason comings and goings, cap situation
The most significant move of the offseason was keeping Skinner off the market with an eight-year contract with a $9 million average annual value, which is a boom-or-bust kind of signing. The Sabres added some experienced scorers in Johansson and Jimmy Vesey. Botterill's best work has been on the blue line, adding Colin Miller from Vegas and flipping underwhelming prospect Alex Nylander to Chicago for Henri Jokiharju. That was after securing Brandon Montour in a trade last season. (But the world still waits on a Rasmus Ristolainen trade.)
One look at the salary cap tells you what Botterill has planned: Buffalo has just nine (!) players under contract for next season at the moment. That's a lot of flexibility.
Bold prediction
Thanks to the arrival of goalie coach Mike Bales from the Carolina Hurricanes, and Krueger's high-pressure system, the Sabres jump into the top 12 in team save percentage this season.
Breakout candidate: Victor Olofsson
The 24-year-old Swedish rookie winger has a natural goal-scorer's touch, potting 30 goals in 66 games with AHL Rochester last season. He's gotten some first-line looks in the preseason, and could end up being a solution to some of the Sabres' offensive concerns. Of course, we've been wrong about young Buffalo offensive prospects before. (Looking at you, Casey Mittelstadt.)
Biggest strength
Their high-end building blocks. Jack Eichel had his best offensive season in 2018-19, with a 1.06 points per game average, and continues to improve. While scoring 40 goals again might be asking a lot, Skinner put himself back on the map as an offensive force. Dahlin had 44 points in his rookie season, and looks every bit the franchise defenseman he was hyped to be as a first overall pick.
Biggest weakness
Their forward depth. The Sabres don't really put a scare in anybody, outside of their top line, which may be one reason Krueger has flirted with putting Skinner and Eichel on different lines during the preseason. Marcus Johansson being used at center speaks volumes about this lineup's needs.
Sabres in NHL Rank
30. Jack Eichel, C
Future Power Ranking: 29
Our panelists didn't have much faith in the NHL roster (No. 29) or the owner/GM/coach (No. 29), but a middle-of-the-road prospect pipeline (No. 17) and strong rating in cap/contracts (No. 8) kept them out of the basement.
Prospect perspective
Pipeline ranking: 18
24. Dylan Cozens, C
70. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G
Honorable mention. Ryan Johnson, D
Honorable mention. Victor Olofsson, LW
Fantasy facts to know
Jack Eichel is the one and true fantasy catalyst for this Sabres team. You want the forwards sharing the ice with Eichel, full stop. There isn't depth to this offense for fantasy relevance. So to start, that means Jeff Skinner and Sam Reinhart, and no one else.
Rasmus Dahlin had an all-time great season among 19-year-old defensemen, and it bodes incredibly well for his future as a fantasy darling. Just don't overcommit in his second season, as defense is a development game of adjustments. He's going to be a superstar that goes at the top of drafts, but may not yield production to that level this season.
You want nothing to do with this goaltending. Carter Hutton is an up-jumped backup at the age where goaltenders decline, and Linus Ullmark didn't hold up when he was given 2,000-plus minutes last season. This is setting aside the fact that they'll probably split time and make each other irrelevant -- even if the new goalie guru the team stole from the Hurricanes makes it so they do stop most pucks. -- Sean Allen