Buffalo Sabres: Finally a glimmer of hope for a desperate franchise

BUFFALO, NY - OCTOBER 4: Jack Eichel #9 of the Buffalo Sabres during the game against the Boston Bruins at the KeyBank Center on October 4, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - OCTOBER 4: Jack Eichel #9 of the Buffalo Sabres during the game against the Boston Bruins at the KeyBank Center on October 4, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images) /
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BUFFALO, NY – OCTOBER 4: Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres playing in his first NHL game against the Boston Bruins at the KeyBank Center on October 4, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images) /

3) Managing Dahlin’s minutes

No doubt a lot of eyes were also on 2018 first overall draft pick, Rasmus Dahlin. He endured a tough regular season debut on Thursday night, but still showed glimpses of what he can do.

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In this respect, Saturday’s game against the Rangers was another small step towards becoming the Sabre’s franchise blue-liner. Dahlin registered one block, a takeaway, the first two shots of his NHL career on goal and finished with a plus/minus rating of 0.

What was also notable was the 18-year-old’s ice time. After playing the second-most minutes for the Sabres on Thursday night, he dropped to seventh-most against the Rangers;

It is understandable if coach Phil Housley doesn’t want to put too much pressure on his young superstar at this stage, and rely more on the likes of Rasmus Ristolainen and Marco Scandella. Regardless, it will be interesting to keep an eye on this aspect moving forward.

Overall, the Sabres can be proud of the effort they put in on Saturday night. It’s only one game, but it offered a glimmer of hope for a desperate franchise and their fans.

Next. Rasmus Dahlin endures a nightmare debut. dark

What was your main takeaway from the 3-1 win against the Rangers on Saturday night? Looking ahead, what kind of success are you predicting for the Buffalo Sabres through the remainder of October? Share your thoughts in the comments section below