Locked On Sabres - Daily Podcast On The Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres don't have the best group of centers heading into 2025-26 season and Josh Norris is the most accomplished of them. Can Norris stay healthy? How many goals would you take from Norris?
 

Sneaky Joe breaks down why he believes Norris will help a lot on the powerplay, but also why he is not a good fit to play with Tage Thompson to start the season. What about the contract? If Norris can't stay healthy this season, could the Sabres look to move on before a no-trade clause kicks in in 2026? Also, whether just being better than Dylan Cozens is a win for the Sabres.

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If the Buffalo Sabres end their 14-year playoff drought this season, it'll most likely come from a Wild Card position. Which means, fighting with teams from the Metro Division like the Rangers, Blue Jackets, Islanders, and Devils. How likely are the Sabres to beat out all but three of the teams in the Metro?

A quiet offseason from everyone, except the Hurricanes, gives the Sabres an opportunity. Also, did the Capitals have a lucky season fueled by Alex Ovechkin's goal chase? How likely are they to make the playoffs, again.

 

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Everyone in the NHL struggles against the back-to-back Stanley Cup Florida Panthers, but no one struggles more than the Buffalo Sabres. Sneaky Joe looks at the Sabres over the last four seasons against Florida, how many Sabres' matchups Matthew Tkachuk is in line to miss, and whether Sergei Bobrovsky is the one part of the Panthers that could take a step back. Are the Panthers a superteam? How many more Cups are they going to win? What's a good result for the Sabres in four matchups with Florida this season?  Listener Survey
We’ve put together a survey to learn more about our listeners and make your favorite podcasts even better. Go tohttps://lockedonpodcasts.com/survey/ to get started. Everyone who completes a survey will be entered for a chance to win one of ten $100 Amazon gift cards. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Gametime
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have finished top-three in the Atlantic Division every season since 2017, but now will have to do it again, this time without Mitch Marner, who has left for Vegas. Do the Maple Leafs have the depth up front to replace a 100 point player? Sneaky Joe points to some of the Leafs 5v5 numbers in 2024-25 that indicate a team that is going to have trouble matching what they did last season. 

No one expects the Buffalo Sabres to finish anywhere near the Leafs in the standings this season, but there's one path to the two teams being within a few wins of each other in the standings. It will all likely come down to how Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll hold up this season.

Plus, what form John Tavares is in at this age, as he'll be asked once again to play a huge role offensively.

 

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Next up in our look through the Atlantic Division, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who showed signs of decline last season, but are still built to be a playoff team every single season. A group of superstars at the top of the lineup featuring Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, and Andrei Vasilevskiy is enough to lift up a horrible group of depth players. Can just six great players carry Tampa deep into the playoffs at this age?

While Tampa shows signs of decline, Sneaky Joe believes future increases in the salary cap will allow the Lightning to stay above teams like the Buffalo Sabres. Also, why the Lightning should be considered the favorite to land Connor McDavid, should he make it to free agency.

 

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The Sabres and Senators struck a big trade last season sending Dylan Cozens to Ottawa. In 21 games, Cozens put up good numbers with the Sens... or did he? Sneaky Joe argues that Cozens is the same lost player we saw in Buffalo the last two years, and he is not in line for success in Ottawa. HOWEVER, the Senators should have more than enough talent with the likes of Tim Stuzle, Jake Sanderson, and Linus Ullmark to be not just a playoff team, but a team that could finish top three in the division, and even win a playoff round.

A look at how the Senators built a team like this shows important lessons for Kevyn Adams and the Sabres. Do the Sabres have any chance to leap frog Ottawa in 2025-26?

 

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The Buffalo Sabres have been passed by the Montreal Canadiens in the Atlantic Division after Montreal found a way to make the playoffs last season, despite not being great at 5-on-5, powerplay, or goaltending. Despite having, what was maybe, a lucky season, the Habs added this offseason with Noah Dobson and Zack Bolduc to offset any possible regression. Will Montreal come back to the pack? Or are they building towards being a playoff winner?

Sneaky Joe compares the Sabres and Canadiens and how much of a lift it would be for Buffalo to catch Montreal this season, something they'll likely have to do to make the playoffs.

 

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Last season, the Boston Bruins finished dead last in the Atlantic Division, behind even the Buffalo Sabres for the first time since 2010. Was this just a fluke year for Boston, or is this a sign of an era of bad Bruins hockey? Sneaky Joe believes the latter is more likely. A look into a thin roster, a GM that has been unable to replace Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, and David Krejci, and a goalie coming off a horrible year makes it seem that the Bruins are just a flawed hockey team.

Plus, the Bruins are looking to move Casey Mittelstadt, should the Sabres look for a reunion? And why Jeremy Swayman, Charlie McAvoy, and Hampus Lindholm are the keys to Boston not being terrible this season.

 

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It's been over a month since Alex Tuch was eligible to sign a contract extension with the Buffalo Sabres, and so far... no deal. Should we be worried no deal has been struck? At what point should we be? Sneaky Joe goes through Tuch's past comments about a deal, what he's worth to the Sabres, and what could be motivating him going forward. Plus, a new comparison for Zach Benson. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Gametime
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What would the Buffalo Sabres have accomplished if Daniel Briere and Chris Drury never left the team? What happens if the team didn't have all it's defensemen get hurt in 2006? What about if the Sabres never tanked in 2015? Sneaky Joe asks AI some of the biggest 'what ifs' in Buffalo Sabres history, including a long ripple effect that would've started with a Stanley Cup in 2006. Plus, what AI thinks the Sabres will do in 2025-26, a much more positive prediction than what Joe thinks of this team.

 

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Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.Monarch Money
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Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get $150 in Bonus Bets if your first $5 bet wins!

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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