Game #32 Preview & Open Thread: Buffalo at Seattle

Can the Sabres Win Three Games in a Row? Let’s Get Kraken!

Buffalo Sabres (13-14-4) vs Seattle Kraken (12-11-6)

Puck Drop: 8:00 pm Eastern Time | Climate Pledge Arena | Seattle, Washington

TV: MSG, ESPN+

Radio: WGR 550

Know Your Opponent

Seattle Kraken

Record: 12-11-6 | 30 PTS

Last Game: Lost to Utah 5-3

Division Ranking: 6th in the Pacific

PP: 17th, 18.7% (Sabres: 12th, 20.6%)

PK: 32nd, 66.7% (Sabres: 3rd, 85.6%)

What to Watch

1. Krak the Seattle Code

The Sabres need to figure this team out. Buffalo is 1-7 against these creatures of the deep since they entered the NHL. The most obvious issue has been giving up way too many goals against. The goaltending and defense has been atrocious against Seattle. In the seven losses, the Sabres have given up a whopping 5, 7, 5, 4, 5, 6 and 6 goals. That works out to a heinous 5.4 goals against per game. That is an outrageous number to give up to an average team that generally struggles to score against everyone else. I’m already running low on adjectives here to describe this lopsided series. The overall record and goals against when facing the Kraken has been ghastly for Buffalo. If they want to finish off this road trip with three wins in a row, they need to batten down the hatches and play some solid D. The goaltending must really step up as well. It is long past time to STONE this Kraken team.

2. Firepower Returning?

While Jason Zucker will remain out for another week or two at least, the Sabres hope to have Josh Norris and Alex Tuch available to play in tonight’s tilt. Tuch was ill and missed the Vancouver game on Thursday. Norris has missed the last two contests with some sort of illness/soreness combo. Buffalo sure could use the services of both players. Head coach Lindy Ruff said both players are “possibilities” to play at Seattle. Both did practice on Saturday. Michael Kesselring remains out but we could see his return before Christmas.

Tage Thompson has found his scoring touch again, with a goal in three straight appearances. He has gathered three assists as well in that same trilogy of games. Meanwhile, Rasmus Dahlin has entered BEAST MODE lately, with eight points in his last five games. (2 goals, 6 assists) The Sabres continue to need the best performances out of their best players in order to compete.

Now that the NHL has allowed Zach Benson to have a goal, it would be nice to see him rip home a few more in these next couple of games. That is how it sometimes goes, goals in bunches. Meanwhile, he continues to be a strong playmaker and Buffalo’s hardest working forward. (I’ll hold your beer for you, Josh Doan)

3. End of the Line?

Win or lose in the final game of this six game trip, rumors are swirling around the Blue and Gold right now. According to The Athletic, three sources have confirmed that the Buffalo Sabres have been holding internal discussions about replacing general manager Kevyn Adams. Hockey channels on youtube have been all over this too. It seems this might actually be happening. Now, will Adams be outright fired and be ousted from the organization? Not very likely, considering his strong ties to Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula. A scenario where Kevyn is reassigned somewhere within the team is very possible. Maybe even as high up as the team’s President of Hockey Operations? The way Adams reports to Pegula every day, it wouldn’t be too dissimilar to Terry holding the title.

If Adams is fired, promoted or reassigned elsewhere, his most obvious replacement would be Senior Advisor Jarmo Kekäläinen. The former GM in Columbus has extensive experience in scouting, player acquisition, and team building. Even if it is only on an interim basis, he would be a solid choice to work this trade deadline and hopefully resolve the Alex Tuch situation. I can see him being the full time GM if he wants the gig. I think that was the backup plan when he was brought in anyways. Kekäläinen would join only a small handful of GM hires for the Sabres who came to Buffalo with outside GM experience.

So prepare yourself DBTB readers. Tonight’s game with Seattle just might be the final game with Kevyn Adams in the GM chair. He has done some good for this team but has not got them back in the playoffs. I think most would rate his performance a “mixed bag” during his tenure. It seems the Sabres will address this rumor after the team arrives home, so we might hear something as soon as Monday. If this is it for Kevyn, his imprint on the team will still be felt for years to come. Players like Josh Doan, Konsta Helenius, Devon Levi, Jiri Kulich and others will hopefully have a long career ahead of them in Buffalo.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Josh Doan – Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson
Zach Benson – Josh Norris – Alex Tuch
Noah Ostlund – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway – Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin – Mattias Samuelsson
Bowen Byram – Conor Timmins
Jacob Bryson – Owen Power

Goalies: Alex Lyon, Ukko Pekka Luukkonen