The Buffalo Sabres looked like a team on the verge of contending for the playoffs, but things have not gone as planned so far in 2023-24 as they currently sit at 8-9-2, with 18 points for their efforts. Since they came so close to making the playoffs last season, they understandably didn't make many moves in the offseason, but the moves they made (or refrained from making) haven't fared well over the first quarter of the season.
Two of these moves had to do with recent signings that have been less-than-impressive and have since seen a rookie pass them in the lineup. The third involved a player they should have shopped harder, but ultimately were unable to find a trade partner and have since kept him on the roster and as a part-timer through the first 18 games.
3 offseason moves the Buffalo Sabres might already be regretting
3. Signing Connor Clifton
Bringing in Connor Clifton from the Boston Bruins made sense since the Sabres needed a player who could inject some physicality into the team. And to Clifton's credit, he's been doing his job in that regard, with 44 hits in 17 games.
Unfortunately, however, the 28-year-old is operating at a minus-5 rating, and the Sabres have a measly on-ice save percentage of 86.8 when Clifton is on the ice at 5-on-5. It's been a rough outing for Clifton, who has since seen the surging Ryan Johnson pass him in ice time, but there is good news about the former Bruin having joined the Sabres this year.
Clifton is familiar with Sabres head coach Don Granato's system, and just last season, the then newly-acquired winger Jordan Greenway faced similar issues despite his familiarity with Granato and was overall ineffective. Greenway has since become a force on the Sabres, so perhaps Clifton just needs time to adapt.
At the moment, however, he hasn't lived up to his billing.
2. Signing Erik Johnson
Initially, Erik Johnson looked like an ideal signing for the Sabres, since the 35-year-old has 16 seasons of experience plus a Stanley Cup on his resume. He's also a former number-one overall pick, which would have also made him an excellent mentor to Owen Power, who is in his second season, and Rasmus Dahlin, who has evolved into a young superstar.
But so far, Johnson's ice time has diminished to just 14 minutes and 57 per game, the lowest of his career when he's started at least 30 contests. Further, at 5-on-5, the Sabres have an on-ice save percentage of just 88.3 when Johnson is in the game, the lowest number of his career so far.
Johnson, however, has been effective on the penalty kill, having logged nearly 77 shorthanded minutes so far in 2023-24, and he's currently operating at a PDO of 118.8 at 4-on-5, which is by far a career-high. His presence has been pivotal in helping turn around the Sabres penalty kill, which was among the worst in the league last season.
Even so, Johnson was also expected to upgrade what was a weak defensive rotation in 2022-23 in every phase of the game. And so far, rookie Ryan Johnson (no relation) has been way more effective in that regard, to the point the Sabres have yet to allow a goal with the younger Johnson on the ice.
1. Not shopping Victor Olofsson hard enough
The Sabres currently have two forwards in the AHL who could be prolific scorers in Buffalo, but by not trading Victor Olofsson, the front office has been forced to hold them both down in the minors. Meanwhile, Olofsson has struggled in his 13 games played so far this season, having scored just five points, two goals, and three assists.
Olofsson is also averaging a career-low 11 minutes and 52 seconds of ice time per game, so it shows you that the Sabres have little trust in a player who found the net 28 times last year. It initially looked like they were trading Olofsson in the offseason, but his AAV of $4.75 million likely scared off a few teams.
While Olofsson's number of goals in 2022-23 were impressive, scoring was all he was capable of, and he offered little help elsewhere. However, if the Sabres just traded him for little compensation while retaining part of his contract, they likely would have opened the door for Jiri Kulich, who is tied for second in the AHL with 11 goals.
Isak Rosen, who is tied for third with 18 points, would also have been a possibility. Perhaps they can find a trading partner for Olofsson by the trade deadline and recall one of their two star forwards in Rochester.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and theAHL.com)