The 2017 NHL season is here with the Sabres set to take on the Montreal Canadiens (this evening) Thursday October 13th at the Key Bank Center at 7 PM.
The Sabres look beat up as the season begins (Great…) New addition Brian Okposo has a knee issue, apparently taking a shot from the point to an unpadded area, Jack Eichel went down in practice yesterday with an apparent ankle injury, Zach Bogosian is dealing with a groin injury, new addition Dimitry Kulikov is banged up, and Captain Ryan O’Reilly has a bad back. Suffice to say, this is not the news fans want to hear going into a matchup with the Carey Price-less Canadiens to open the season. However, it seems that the injuries listed could very well be simple bumps and bruises picked up during training camp and the pre-season.
Did anyone else feel like there were a lot more pre-season games this year than there have been in past years? Is the NHL trying to copy the NFL now by extending the pre-season?? It wouldn’t surprise me.
Fortunately, the team did the right (and obvious) thing in my opinion, by locking up Rasmus Ristollainen to a long term deal
Fortunately, the team did the right (and obvious) thing in my opinion, by locking up Rasmus Ristollainen to a long term deal. He got six years which is great for him and for us. He was one of the league leaders in ice time last season averaging over 25 minutes per game as a 21-year-old. He is only going to get better and this was a smart move by the organ-I-sation as the Canadians say it.
Robin Lehner spent the offseason doing MMA training to lose weight and get fit, maybe this will take some of the pressure off his knees and ankles. All the accounts I’ve heard of him say he looks great and is prepared to be the #1 this year. Hopefully he gets that first fighting major taken care of early in the season.
The pre-season games were interesting to watch to see how some of the Sabres younger prospect talent has been developing. A number of young players look to have NHL futures. Baptiste, Guhle, Nylander, Grant and Bailey all look promising.
The Buffalo Rising Sabres Blog is back and will report game results and analysis for the 2016-17 season. Go Sabres and thanks for reading.