Why Rangers coach scoffs at copying Sabres ‘model’ to retool
Make no mistake, New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan has a healthy level of respect for the Buffalo Sabres and their incredible turnaround to become a playoff team this season.
But that doesn’t mean Sullivan believes that what worked in upstate New York can — or should — be replicated in The Big Apple.
“When you look at the history of the Sabres and how that team was built, it’s taken them over a decade to get where they’re at,” Sullivan explained Wednesday, before the Rangers hosted the Sabres at Madison Square Garden. “Their lineup right now is littered with first-round draft picks that have developed and aged over the course of time. I don’t know that’s the model that we would apply here.”
The Sabres are in a three-way tie for first place in the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. They’re need three wins in their final four games to reach 50 victories for just the third time in franchise history. Expect Buffalo to be a handful when the postseason begins.
But to Sullivan’s point, the last time the Sabres qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs prior to this season was 2011. Their 14-year playoff drought was the longest in NHL history.
So, yeah, there’s no way that owner James Dolan nor an already irritated fan base grants the Rangers that long of a leash to figure things out. There’s a reason why general manager Chris Drury calls this latest Rangers period a “retool,” not a “rebuild.” Semantics? Sure. But a clear mandate, too.
When asked a follow up question as to why the Rangers couldn’t model themselves after the Sabres, Sullivan responded dryly, “I’d like to think we could be more aggressive.”
Point taken, coach.
Despite missing the playoffs two straight seasons and currently sitting last in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers do have star power, notably goalie Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox, two of the best at their respective positions in the entire League. New York also remains a top destination for NHL free agents and potential trade targets.
It ain’t Buffalo, that’s for sure
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan notes Sabres are ‘dynamic group’
A bevy of coaching and GM hires and fires low-lighted the previous 14 years for Buffalo. That and some poor decisions in the trade market, and several top players that simply wanted out of a losing culture and organization (thinking about you Jack Eichel).
Eleven times in the past 13 years, the Sabres’ first selection in the draft was a Top-10 pick. Yet they couldn’t get out of their own way, failing to reach the postseason, sometimes in spectacular fashion, year after year.
But as Sullivan noted, there are solid foundational building blocks, too, like No. 1 overall draft picks Rasmus Dahlin (2018) and Owen Power (2021). And the current Sabres team is one of the most exciting to watch in the NHL. They average 3.40 goals scored per game, seventh best in the League.
“Well, they’re a good team, obviously. I think they have an explosive offense,” Sullivan explained. “They have threats throughout their lineup, in particular on their defense corps. … It just shows you the depth they have offensively, they’re a dynamic group.”
But their sudden explosion to the top of the standings this season is shocking. The Sabres were 11-14-4 and in last place the morning of Dec. 9. Since then, they are 36-9-4, and had winning streaks consisting of 10 games, eight, five, and four.
It really is a great story. Just not one the Rangers plan to copy down to the letter.
