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2017–18 Buffalo Sabres season

NHL hockey team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2017–18 Buffalo Sabres season was the 48th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.[2] The Sabres missed the playoffs again, finishing last in the division for the second straight year and last overall in the league.

Division8th Atlantic
Conference16th Eastern
2017–18 record25–45–12
Home record11–25–5
Quick facts Buffalo Sabres, Division ...
2017–18 Buffalo Sabres
Division8th Atlantic
Conference16th Eastern
2017–18 record25–45–12
Home record11–25–5
Road record14–20–7
Goals for199
Goals against280
Team information
General managerJason Botterill
CoachPhil Housley
CaptainVacant
Alternate captainsZach Bogosian
Jack Eichel
Kyle Okposo
Ryan O'Reilly
ArenaKeyBank Center
Average attendance18,563[1]
Minor league affiliatesRochester Americans (AHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL)
Team leaders
GoalsJack Eichel
Sam Reinhart (25)
AssistsJack Eichel (39)
PointsJack Eichel (64)
Penalty minutesJordan Nolan (69)
Plus/minusCasey Mittelstadt (+1)
WinsRobin Lehner (14)
Goals against averageRobin Lehner (3.01)
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Standings

More information Pos, GP ...
Atlantic Division
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
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Source: National Hockey League[3]
x – Clinched playoff spot; z – Clinched conference
More information Pos, Div ...
Eastern Conference Wild Card
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
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Source: National Hockey League[4]
x – Clinched playoff spot

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.[5] 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.[6]

Schedule and results

Preseason

The Sabres released their preseason schedule on June 19, 2017.[7]

More information #, Date ...
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Regular season

The team's regular season schedule was published on June 22, 2017.[8]

More information October: 3–7–2 (Home: 1–3–1; Road: 2–4–1), # ...
2017–18 game log

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

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Player statistics

Final stats.[9]

Skaters
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Goaltenders
More information Player, GP ...
Regular season[11]
Player GP GS TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Robin Lehner53502,852:01142691433.011,560.9083002
Chad Johnson36291,773:32101631053.55962.8910000
Linus Ullmark53240:1812082.00123.9350000
Adam Wilcox1038:3901000.00141.0000000
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†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

More information Date, Details ...
DateDetailsRef
June 17, 2017 (2017-06-17) To Montreal Canadiens
3rd-round pick in 2017
To Buffalo Sabres
Nathan Beaulieu
[12]
June 21, 2017 (2017-06-21) To Vegas Golden Knights
6th-round pick in 2017
To Buffalo Sabres
Expansion draft considerations[a]
[13]
June 30, 2017 (2017-06-30) To Minnesota Wild
Tyler Ennis
Marcus Foligno
3rd-round pick in 2018
To Buffalo Sabres season
Jason Pominville
Marco Scandella
4th-round pick in 2018
[14]
October 4, 2017 (2017-10-04) To Montreal Canadiens
Nicolas Deslauriers
To Buffalo Sabres
Zach Redmond
[15]
December 4, 2017 (2017-12-04) To Detroit Red Wings
5th-round pick in 2019
To Buffalo Sabres
Scott Wilson
[16]
February 26, 2018 (2018-02-26) To San Jose Sharks
Evander Kane
To Buffalo Sabres
Danny O'Regan
Conditional 1st-round in 2019
Conditional 4th-round pick in 2020
[17]
June 14, 2018 (2018-06-14) To Arizona Coyotes
Hudson Fasching
To Buffalo Sabres
Rights to Brandon Hickey
Rights to Mike Sislo
[18]
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Notes:

  1. The Vegas Golden Knights selected William Carrier in the 2017 NHL expansion draft. The draft pick was exchanged so that the Golden Knights would not select Linus Ullmark.
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Player signings

More information Date, Player ...
DatePlayerContract terms
(in U.S. dollars)
Ref
June 26, 2017 (2017-06-26)Taylor Fedun2-year, $1.3 million, two-way contract[39]
July 8, 2017 (2017-07-08)Johan Larsson2-year, $2.95 million[40]
July 25, 2017 (2017-07-25)Robin Lehner1-year, $4 million[41]
July 27, 2017 (2017-07-27)Evan Rodrigues2-year, $1.3 million[42]
July 31, 2017 (2017-07-31)Nathan Beaulieu2-year, $4.8 million[43]
August 17, 2017 (2017-08-17)Zemgus Girgensons2-year, $3.2 million[44]
October 4, 2017 (2017-10-04)Jack Eichel8-year, $80 million contract extension[45]
October 23, 2017 (2017-10-23)Cliff Pu3-year, $2.775 million entry-level contract[46]
March 25, 2018 (2018-03-25)Will Borgen3-year, $2.775 million entry-level contract[47]
March 26, 2018 (2018-03-26)Casey Mittelstadt3-year, $4.475 million entry-level contract[48]
April 24, 2018 (2018-04-24)Victor Olofsson2-year, $1.85 million entry-level contract[49]
May 2, 2018 (2018-05-02)Casey Nelson2-year, $1.625 million contract extension[50]
May 23, 2018 (2018-05-23)Rasmus Asplund3-year, $2.775 million entry-level contract[51]
June 14, 2018 (2018-06-14)Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen3-year, $2.775 million entry-level contract[52]
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Draft picks

Below are the Buffalo Sabres' selections at the 2017 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 23 and 24, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago.

More information Round, # ...
Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
1 8 Casey Mittelstadt C United States United States Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
2 37 Marcus Davidsson C Sweden Sweden Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
2 541 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen G Finland Finland HPK U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)
3 892 Oskari Laaksonen D Finland Finland Ilves U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)
4 99 Jacob Bryson D Canada Canada Providence College (Hockey East)
7 192 Linus Weissbach LW Sweden Sweden Tri-City Storm (USHL)
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Draft notes:[53]

  1. The Minnesota Wild's second-round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of a trade on March 2, 2015, that sent Chris Stewart to Minnesota in exchange for this pick.[54]
  2. The Washington Capitals' third-round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of a trade on February 23, 2016, that sent Mike Weber to Washington in exchange for this pick.[55]

References

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