Ship Of Theseus

Are we allowed to start being interested in the Sabres again?

With all the excitement about the Bills a simple fact might be overlooked – the Sabres have improved. Of course no one should go crazy just yet, nor start chugging any punch bowls of Kool-Aid, but they are improved.

That’s difficult for many of us to wrap our minds around. Or maybe it’s just me? We’ve been preconditioned to expect futility. Even though us older folks remember much better days filled with conference and Stanley Cup final appearances, they have become such a distant memory now they are under heavy cobwebs in the recesses of our minds.

No one, I think, are calling them Stanley Cup contenders, but at the time of this writing they are above .500 at 20-15 with an OTL of 2. They are still out of the playoffs in 10th place in the East, but they aren’t seemingly mired in their position as in years past. They’ve won two straight, and 8-2 in their last 10. They’re looking better. Much better. Amazing what an adequate coaching staff and a front office with focus will do. Gone are the days of soccer managers. Kevyn Adams isn’t and shouldn’t be crowned the Sabres answer to Brandon Beane in the One Buffalo World just yet, but they are showing promise. I never criticized Adams when he took over, but I was leery of having another first time general manager. The Sabres had been burned on that in recent years, but I did say good luck. He needed it. The Sabres ship had been mostly underwater for a decade plus, and most of the teak deck needed to be replaced. Call it hockey’s The Ship Of Theseus experiment. Most everything needed to go. Purged. I’ll give Adams credit – he’s done most of this. No, not everyone is of his draft tenure, but getting competent personnel behind the bench is. That says a lot, and he gets a gold star on that front.

Now the Sabres are coming into their own, particularly Tage Thompson (31 goals on January 9), and while a Stanley Cup push may not be practical, particularly on January 9, a playoff run is. The Sabres have not been in the playoffs since 2011. Given the depths of suffering and disorganization over the last decade plus a playoff birth is a welcome surprise. It would make us optimistic again. Make the playoffs is the first goal, and then let’s go from there. With any luck Buffalo might just become One Sports Heaven.