A big night from Victor Olofsson spawned a discussion about former Buffalo Sabres players having success. Five out of the last six seasons, a former Sabres player who recently left the team went on to win the Stanley Cup with his new team.
It started in 2019, as Ryan O’Reilly was traded to the St. Louis Blues and immediately led them on a historic second-half run up the standings and banked them a championship. The next season, Zach Bogosian was a part of the 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning squad that won the Cup. The Lightning repeated in 2021 before Jonas Johansson joined the 2022 Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche. In the past two seasons, Jack Eichel’s Vegas Golden Knights and Sam Reinhart’s Florida Panthers were dominant in the playoffs, bringing home titles.
The Cup-winning Panthers were loaded with former Sabres last season, including Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues, Kyle Okposo, Brandon Montour, and Dmitry Kulikov.
With the Sabres revamping their squad for the 2024-205 season, seven players from last season’s team are scattered across the NHL. The list includes:
- Zemgus Girgensons, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Erik Johnson, Philadelphia Flyers
- Tyson Jost, Carolina Hurricanes
- Victor Olofsson, Vegas Golden Knights
- Casey Mittelstadt, Colorado Avalanche
- Eric Robinson, Carolina Hurricanes
- Jeff Skinner, Edmonton Oilers
So which of these players has the best chance of continuing the trend? Let’s dive into the projections.
Girgensons & the Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning lost Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev this offseason but added Jake Guentzel, J.J. Moser, Ryan McDonagh, and depth pieces like Zemgus Girgensons. Despite the activity, Tampa is barely projected to finish ahead of the Sabres, per PuckLuck’s standings projections. According to the model, the Lightning have a 40% chance of making the playoffs, slotting as the first team out of a wild card spot.
The Sabres have a 35% chance, making them the next team out in what could be a tight race for eighth in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for Girgensons, he’s in a position again where he’s more likely to miss the playoffs than make them. The 11-year veteran has yet to play in a postseason game.
Johnson & the Flyers
Erik Johnson was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers at last season’s trade deadline, and the team barely missed the playoffs. The Flyers have lower odds than the Sabres of making it this season at 30%, meaning Johnson and other former Sabres, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nicolas Deslauriers, are likely on the outside looking in come April.
Robinson, Jost, and the Hurricanes
As has been the case in recent seasons under head coach Rod Brind’Amour, the Carolina Hurricanes project to finish high in the Eastern Conference standings. The Hurricanes signed former Sabres bottom-sixers Eric Robinson and Tyson Jost as depth pieces, and the two should benefit from the strong foundation of the club.
Robinson and Jost will provide fourth-line, defensive, and penalty-kill minutes for Carolina, who has a whopping 98% chance of making the postseason to start the year. In addition to the two, former Sabres forward William Carrier was signed this offseason to play in a similar role. PuckLuck is high on every aspect of the Canes’ roster, so they’re a strong contender to raise the Stanley Cup in June.
Olofsson & the Golden Knights
Jack Eichel already potted the Vegas Golden Knights a championship, and now his former Sabres linemate Victor Olofsson joins him in the desert. Olofsson had a big opening game, netting two goals. Eichel also added four assists in the game, as the Golden Knights cruised to an 8-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.
Olofsson’s a bit of a wild card this season, as his shooting ability he displayed with the Sabres is unquestioned but the rest of his game is still incomplete. If Vegas continues to use him as a powerplay specialist, he should return to near the 30-goal mark.
The Golden Knights are just outside of the playoff picture despite the big win, with a projected 32% chance of making the playoffs. There are a lot of question marks surrounding the forward group, so the team will rely on their defensemen and goaltending to keep them going, should the scoring prove to be inconsistent. If they can overcome their depth, former Sabres Eichel, Olofsson, and Brayden McNabb will all be in pivotal roles to contribute.
Mittelstadt & the Avalanche
The Western Conference is very strong from one to twelve, so the playoff race could be tight. The Colorado Avalanche are expected to ride their top players back into a divisional playoff spot, and Casey Mittelstadt is one of their top supporting pieces. According to PuckLuck, the Avalanche have a 73% chance of making the playoffs, putting them right in the heat of the top of the Central Division.
Colorado is now three years removed from their last Stanley Cup run and is thin at forward. Health will dictate a lot about where they finish in the standings and their road through the playoffs.
Skinner & the Oilers
Jeff Skinner joins last season’s runner-ups, predictably vaulting him toward the top of the list of potential former Sabres to win the Stanley Cup this season. Skinner is infamous for playing over 1,000 NHL games without appearing in the postseason. He’s beginning the year on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson, putting him in a prime spot to be a big contributor for the Oilers.
Edmonton is projected to finish atop the Western Conference with a 94% chance of making the playoffs. If Skinner can provide the production boost they expect, he’ll have the easiest path to winning the Cup. Here are the former Sabres’ teams and their Stanley Cup odds, according to the PuckLuck projections:
- Carolina Hurricanes +1201
- Edmonton Oilers +1388
- Colorado Avalanche +1995
- Tampa Bay Lightning +4094
- Buffalo Sabres +4906
- Vegas Golden Knights +5430
- Philadelphia Flyers +5849
