Consistency is Key for Sabres in Second Half

Three Weeks ago their season was over but over the past few weeks they Buffalo Sabres have shown glimpses of hope. Over their past 10 games, Buffalo has gained 13 out of a possible 20 points. Good? Yes. Great? Absolutely not.

Buffalo is not looking to be a top seed in the playoffs but just getting into them would be nice. Through 48 games, they are 22-21-5 with 49 points. They are third in the Northeast division and 10th in the Eastern Conference. They are just a mere six points behind Atlanta for 8th place in the conference with three games in hand.

I have reviewed their season up to date and with just a mere 4 days until the all-star break I have given them a mid-season report card, along with things that have worked and that haven't, along with positives and disappointments.

Overall Play: C-

Offensive Play: C-

Defensive Play: C+

Goaltending: B-

Coaching: D

Management: C-

Top 4 Positives

1.) Thomas Vanek- Vanek has always been one of my personal favorites and while he hasn't put up his 2006-2007 stats of 43 goals 41 assists and a +43 rating but he has played very well. He has 18 goals and 21 assists this year playing on a very mediocre team. Vaneks' most underrated trait he possesses is his play making ability. He has great vision and passing skills from anywhere on the ice. He makes everyone around him better. I believe if Vanek is on just about any other team in the NHL he is a 40 goal scorer every year, he's that talented.

2.) Derek Roy- Before Derek went down with a season ending injury he was playing the best hockey of his career. He had 10 goals and 25 assists in only 35 games(avg. of 1 point per game). He was starting to hold his own and control his line. He isn't a great player but I think he fits well on the Sabres and make contributions to push this team in the right direction when he comes back.

3.) Young guns of Tyler Ennis and Nathan Gerbe- I have fallen in love with these two players over the past few months. I don't think either will ever be an elite player in the NHL but both play hard and good styles of hockey. I like Ennis more out of these two. He has 12 goals and 15 assists this year. He is going to be on this team for a long time. Gerbe on the other hand doesn't get as much playing time as Ennis but he has 6 goals and 8 assists in only 31 games. He makes the most of his time and isn't afraid to stick his nose in the middle of scrums or go into the corner for the puck. The rest of the Sabres team can watch him for tips.

4.) Jordan Leopold- I'll admit, I like defensemen who can put the puck in the net. I like defensemen who have points and can score. Leopold is fourth on the team in scoring with 10 goals and 17 assists. He creates plays and can put the puck in the net. He is someone the Sabres need on the blue line.

Top 3 Disappointments

1.) Goaltending (Ryan Miller)- Let's face it, Ryan Miller is not the goalie he was in the Olympics or last year. He has fallen off and no longer is the elite goalie everyone thought he was. He has been inconsistent and has looked rattled and uncomfortable in net sometimes. He has kept Buffalo in a lot of games but has also lost some for them too. He has a GAA of 2.70 and a save % of .912, much lower than last year. For the Sabres to make the playoffs, it's a very simple message, Ryan Miller HAS to be better.

2.) Jochen Hecht- Hecht was helpful to the Sabres when he originally came over and they made their two consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference Finals but now he just useless. There's not much to say about him. He can't hit the net, hes constantly out of position, doesn't hit anyone, and seems afraid to take a hit or even go into the corner. This is probably his last year as a Sabre.

3.) Lindy Ruff- His time has come and passed. The things Ruff has been teaching is the same thing he taught 10 years ago and the reality is, is that it doesn't work anymore. Other teams have caught up and are just faster and more physical. He's not a bad hockey coach but he's becoming one and parting ways and starting fresh is probably the best option for the franchise to get back to the top.

Prediction for Second Half...

I am going to go out on a limb here and say the Sabres will find a way to make the playoffs as a seven seed. I'll see how long I will stick to that but for now I'm going to be optimistic.