Your Call: Will the Sabres make the playoffs in 2017-18?

By any measure the Buffalo Sabres were one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL during the 2016-17 season. After years of bottoming out in an effort to acquire top-end talent in the draft and finally bolstering the team’s lineup with veteran talent, the Sabres were expected to take a step forward and finally push for a playoff spot. Instead, they actually took a step back. 

Most fans and analysts expected the Sabres to build off a reasonably successful 81 point campaign in 2015-16 with a modest improvement in 2016-17. But, when they puck dropped on 2016-17, the Sabres were only able to muster a 78 point total. The result was a dual firing of head coach Dan Bylsma and general manager Tim Murray by owner Terry Pegula and the hiring of Phil Housley and Jason Botterill as their replacements. 

Botterill has wasted no time in revamping the Sabres lineup, especially on the blue line. New additions like Nathan Beaulieau, Marco Scandella and Viktor Antipin should give the team’s defense an all new look, while the addition of former Sabre Jason Pominville should provide them with an additional option up front. But the real story in Buffalo this offseason has been the influx of youth into the team’s lineup from within the system. Top prospects like Alex Nylander, Casey Mittelstadt and Brendan Guhle will all push for roster spots in training camp later this month.

The Sabres are also hoping for breakout seasons from Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen with tempered expectations for Sam Reinhart. Bounce back campaigns from Evander Kane, Ryan O’Reilly and Kyle Okposo could also have the Sabres back in the playoff hunt.

What do you think? Do the Sabres have what it takes to get back into the playoffs?