GDHQNHL15_2pg-Buffalo Sabres 1

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Buffalo SABRES Key Additions: Matt Moulson, Brian Gionta, Josh Gorges, Andrej Meszaros Key Subtractions: Christian Ehrhoff, Matt D’Agostino Strengths: Veteran acquisitions, potential For offensive improvement Weaknesses: Lack of goal scorers, unsettled at goalie Offense The Buffalo Sabres suffered through a miserable season last year, and the offense was a major factor. Their 157 goals scored ranked last in the NHL and was 39 fewer than the closest team. They also finished the season with eight fewer wins and 14 fewer points than any other team. Cody Hodgson, who was asked to move from center to left wing during the season, led the team with 44 points scored, but that ranked just 116th in the entire NHL. On the bright side, Hodgson and the team’s second leading scorer, center Tyler Ennis, will both be 24-years old at the start of the season. Second line center Zemgus Girgensons was just 19-years old for much of his rookie year, and center Sam Reinhart, the second overall draft pick in 2014, could make an impact at just 18- years old. The youngsters will have a bit of veteran help with the offseason signings of wingers Matt Moulson and Brian Gionta. Moulson spent 44 games with the Sabres last season after he was traded from the New York Islanders, but he was then moved to the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline. After scoring 23 goals and 51 points across all three destinations, he returns to Buffalo, a city he grew to love in his short stint with the team. Gionta, entering his 13th season in the NHL, signed a three-year contract with the Sabres after playing with the Montreal Canadiens last year. The 35-year old, who won a Stanley Cup championship with the New Jersey Devils in 2003, has continued to be productive into the twilight of his career. He scored 40 points during the regular season and added seven more in the postseason. Christian Ehrhoff led the Sabres defensemen in scoring, thanks to his 27 assists, but he is now with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sabres hope that young defenseman Tyler Myers will step up his game and return to the 2010 form that saw him score 48 points and win the Calder Trophy. Defense The Sabres were more respectable on defense than they were on offense, but it could do little to help overcome their league worst -91 goal differential. With just two major acquisitions on the blue line, and none coming in goal, the Sabres defense should fare similarly this season. Just a few years ago, it looked like Myers would become a franchise defender. He finished 15th in the Norris Trophy voting in his rookie season, but has not matched the feat since. His -26 plus/minus this season was a career low and critics fear that his development will continue to go backwards. This season he will be paired up with Josh Gorges on the first EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION Brian Gionta Bill Wippert/NHL/Getty Images


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