The Buffalo Sabres have several things that the Dallas Stars don’t have. One of them is Lindy Ruff, who took over as head coach over the off-season. They also have a beat reporter for The Athletic (and truth be told, Matthew Fairburn is a good read). They also have a young, dependable defensive core – all in their 20s, and with high expectations that the group will lead Buffalo to the promised land (or at least the playoffs).
What the team doesn’t have is much beyond a first line of forwards. 22 year old J. J. Peterka joins Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on a line that matches up with the better to lines across the league.