Sabres An April Fool’s Joke?

The Buffalo Sabres are 4 points out of a playoff spot and currently sit in 10th in the Eastern Conference of the NHL.  According to this test, the team has a 37% chance of making the playoffs.  The good news is no one is chasing them in the standings, the team is just on the outside looking in. Out of the teams ahead of the Sabres:

• Pittsburgh and Carolina are the only hot ones
• Florida, NYR and Montreal are all on thin ice. Their collective confidence and recent form has not been stellar to say the least.  Average at best could sum up their play of late.
• The pressure is on an underachieving young team in Montreal. Goaltending is n/a there as well. We predict they crack.
• Buffalo has a game in hand on the ‘Canes the current 8th spot holder.

8 of the next 9 games are *winable:

• *Thu Mar 12, 2009 Panthers
• *Sat Mar 14, 2009 Thrashers
• *Tue Mar 17, 2009 Senators
• Fri Mar 20, 2009 Flyers
• *Sat Mar 21, 2009 Rangers
• *Wed Mar 25, 2009 Panthers
• *Fri Mar 27, 2009 Maple Leafs
• *Sat Mar 28, 2009 Canadiens
• *Wed Apr 1, 2009 Thrashers

Then follows a more difficult time:

• Fri Apr 3, 2009 Capitals
• Sat Apr 4, 2009 Devils
• Mon Apr 6, 2009 Red Wings
• *Wed Apr 8, 2009 Maple Leafs
• *Thu Apr 9, 2009 Hurricanes
• Sat Apr 11, 2009 Bruins

The key is the next 9 games for the team.  By April 1st, the team will know if they are in the playoffs or not.

Getting Vanek back from injury is like adding a player at the trade deadline. Adding Dominic Moore was only a depth move and he’s not being asked to save this team like he was in Toronto. All the Buffalo Sabres need is the D to hold them in games and the offense will come thru. The Sabres have got too many weapons on the O, so the goals and good results will come. With so many games against the teams they are in the mix with, it is imperative not to let the games end in ties or shootouts therefore giving those teams points. The Sabres need wins in regulation to secure a playoff berth! Especially in the next nine games!

An uphill battle but not impossible.  Sabres in the playoffs? Is that an April Fool’s joke?  We’ll see.  We believe its not.