2013–14 Buffalo Sabres season

The 2013–14 Buffalo Sabres season was the 44th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.[3] The Sabres moved to the realigned Atlantic Division, which included the previous season's Northeast Division with the addition of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings.[4] Ron Rolston, who started the season as head coach, was fired after 20 games and replaced by Ted Nolan, who had previously coached the team from 1995 to 1997.

2013–14 Buffalo Sabres
Division8th Atlantic
Conference16th Eastern
2013–14 record21–51–10
Home record13–21–7
Road record8–30–3
Goals for157
Goals against248
Team information
General managerDarcy Regier
(to Nov. 13)
Tim Murray
(from Jan. 9)
CoachRon Rolston
(to Nov. 13)
Ted Nolan
(interim, from Nov. 13)
CaptainThomas Vanek (until Oct. 27) and
Steve Ott (until Feb. 28)
Vacant (Feb. 28 – Apr.)
Alternate captainsChristian Ehrhoff
Henrik Tallinder
Drew Stafford (Mar.–Apr.)[1]
ArenaFirst Niagara Center
Average attendance18,543 (95.8%)[2]
(37 games)
Minor league affiliate(s)Rochester Americans (AHL)
Team leaders
GoalsTyler Ennis (21)
AssistsChristian Ehrhoff (27)
PointsCody Hodgson (43)
Penalty minutesJohn Scott (96)
Plus/minusLuke Adam
Johan Larsson
Torrey Mitchell (0)
WinsRyan Miller (15)
Goals against averageMichal Neuvirth (2.56)

Off-season

Ron Rolston was made the permanent head coach when Darcy Regier removed the interim tag from his title. Regier did not interview any other candidates for the position.[5] Rolston replaced Lindy Ruff who was fired the season before after serving as head coach for nearly 16 seasons.

Training camp

The Sabres' training camp saw the arrival of many highly touted prospects into the Sabres' lineup. Newly acquired first round picks Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov both made the opening day roster along with 2012 first round picks Mikhail Grigorenko, Zemgus Girgensons and 2011 first round pick Joel Armia. Armia and Zadorov were both injured in the pre-season and would not play right away.[6]

The pre-season saw the Sabres involved in a controversial game. In a road game at the Toronto Maple Leafs, a fight between Corey Tropp and Toronto winger Jamie Devane ended with Tropp injured. On the ensuing faceoff, Sabres' enforcer John Scott lined up opposite to Phil Kessel and attempted to engage him in a fight. A line brawl followed in which 209 minutes in penalties were handed out, including 11 fighting majors and 14 ten-minute misconduct penalties. During the fight, Maple Leaf David Clarkson would leave the bench to fight. Clarkson would later be suspended by the NHL for ten regular season games.[7] Phil Kessel received a three-game pre-season game ban for slashing Scott with the intent to injure.[8] Sabres Head Coach Ron Rolston was fined an undisclosed amount for "player selection." The fine was controversial due to the fact that Scott was on the ice the previous shift and the Leafs, being the home team, had last change.[9] Corey Tropp suffered a broken jaw and concussion in the fight.[10]

The day before the start of the regular season, Rolston named the new team captain. With the trade of team captain Jason Pominville the year before, the captaincy had remained vacant. Rolston used a rotating captaincy in the preseason. Steve Ott and Thomas Vanek were named co-captains for the 2013–14 season.[11] Ott will wear the "C" for all road games and Vanek will wear it at home. Christian Ehrhoff will wear an "A" during all games.

Regular season

Opening the season with a lineup that featured Zemgus Girgensons, Mikhail Grigorenko, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, the 2013–14 Sabres were the first team since the 1995–96 season to include four teenagers.[12]

On November 13, 2013, General Manager Darcy Regier and Head Coach Ron Rolston were relieved of their duties. Former Sabre Pat LaFontaine was hired as President of Hockey Operations (a position that had been left vacant since the departure of Larry Quinn in 2011) and Ted Nolan was hired as the interim head coach.[13] After hiring Ottawa Senators' Assistant General Manager Tim Murray to the vacant general manager position on January 9,[14] Pat LaFontaine resigned as President of Hockey Operations on March 1, 2014, to return to his previous position with the NHL.[15]

The Sabres made numerous trades leading up to and right before the March 5 trading deadline.[16] On February 28, they traded away veterans Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to the St. Louis Blues. Then on March 5, the NHL trade deadline day, they made three separate trades with the Minnesota Wild, Washington Capitals and Los Angeles Kings.

Standings

Atlantic Division
Pos Team GP W L OTL ROW GF GA GD Pts
1 p Boston Bruins 82 54 19 9 51 261 177 +84 117
2 x Tampa Bay Lightning 82 46 27 9 38 240 215 +25 101
3 x Montreal Canadiens 82 46 28 8 40 215 204 +11 100
4 x Detroit Red Wings 82 39 28 15 34 222 230 8 93
5 Ottawa Senators 82 37 31 14 30 236 265 29 88
6 Toronto Maple Leafs 82 38 36 8 29 231 256 25 84
7 Florida Panthers 82 29 45 8 21 196 268 72 66
8 Buffalo Sabres 82 21 51 10 14 157 248 91 52
Source: National Hockey League
p Clinched Presidents' Trophy; x Clinched playoff spot.
Eastern Conference Wild Card
Pos Div Team GP W L OTL ROW GF GA GD Pts
1 ME x Columbus Blue Jackets 82 43 32 7 38 231 216 +15 93
2 AT x Detroit Red Wings 82 39 28 15 34 222 230 8 93
3 ME Washington Capitals 82 38 30 14 28 235 240 5 90
4 ME New Jersey Devils 82 35 29 18 35 197 208 11 88
5 AT Ottawa Senators 82 37 31 14 30 236 265 29 88
6 AT Toronto Maple Leafs 82 38 36 8 29 231 256 25 84
7 ME Carolina Hurricanes 82 36 35 11 34 207 230 23 83
8 ME New York Islanders 82 34 37 11 25 225 267 42 79
9 AT Florida Panthers 82 29 45 8 21 196 268 72 66
10 AT Buffalo Sabres 82 21 51 10 14 157 248 91 52
Source: National Hockey League
x Clinched playoff spot.

Schedule and results

Pre-season

Regular season

2013–14 Game Log
Overall: 21–51–10 (Home: 13–21–7; Road: 8–30–3)

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Playoffs

The Sabres failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight year.

Player stats

Final stats

Skaters
Goaltenders
Regular Season[17]
Player GP GS TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Ryan Miller40402,383:47152231082.7214110.9230020
Jhonas Enroth28261,574:144175742.828340.9110000
Matt Hackett88426:06161223.102390.9080000
Nathan Lieuwen75363:22140182.981910.9060000
Michal Neuvirth22117:0302052.56980.9490000
Connor Knapp2176:3100143.12320.8750000

Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Sabres. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.


Milestones

Transactions

The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2013–14 season:

Trades

June 30, 2013[18] To Carolina Hurricanes
Andrej Sekera
To Buffalo Sabres
Jamie McBain
2nd-round pick in 2013 – J. T. Compher
July 7, 2013[19] To New Jersey Devils
Riley Boychuk
To Buffalo Sabres
Henrik Tallinder
October 27, 2013[20] To New York Islanders
Thomas Vanek
To Buffalo Sabres
Matt Moulson
1st-round pick in 2015[lower-alpha 1] – Colin White
2nd-round pick in 2015 – Brendan Guhle
December 19, 2013[21] To Edmonton Oilers
Conditional 6th-round pick in 2014[lower-alpha 2]
To Buffalo Sabres
Linus Omark
February 28, 2014[22] To St. Louis Blues
Ryan Miller
Steve Ott
To Buffalo Sabres
Jaroslav Halak
Chris Stewart
William Carrier
1st-round pick in 2015[lower-alpha 3] – Jack Roslovic
Conditional 3rd-round pick in 2016Linus Nassen
March 5, 2014[23] To Los Angeles Kings
Brayden McNabb
Jonathan Parker
2nd-round pick in 2014 – Alex Lintuniemi
2nd-round pick in 2015Erik Cernak
To Buffalo Sabres
Nicolas Deslauriers
Hudson Fasching
March 5, 2014[24] To Washington Capitals
Jaroslav Halak
3rd-round pick in 2015 – Robin Kovacs
To Buffalo Sabres
Michal Neuvirth
Rostislav Klesla
March 5, 2014[25] To Minnesota Wild
Matt Moulson
Cody McCormick
To Buffalo Sabres
Torrey Mitchell
2nd-round pick in 2014[lower-alpha 4] – Vitek Vanecek
2nd-round pick in 2016[lower-alpha 5] – Chad Krys

Draft picks

Buffalo Sabres' picks at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, to be held in Newark, New Jersey on June 30, 2013.[49]

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 8 Rasmus Ristolainen Defense  Finland TPS (SM-liiga)
1 16[a] Nikita Zadorov Defense  Russia CSKA Moscow (KHL)
2 35[b] J. T. Compher Center  United States U.S. National Team Development Program (USHL)
2 38 Connor Hurley Center  United States Edina High School (USHS-MN)
2 52[c] Justin Bailey Right wing  United States Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
3 69 Nicholas Baptiste Right wing  Canada Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
5 129 Cal Petersen Goaltender  United States Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
5 130[d] Gustav Possler Right wing  Sweden Modo Hockey J20 (J20 SuperElit)
5 143[e] Anthony Florentino Defense  United States South Kent School (USHS-CT)
6 159 Sean Malone Center  United States U.S. National Team Development Program (USHL)
7 189 Eric Locke Center  United States Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Draft notes[50]

References

  1. MYERS MISSES PRACTICE, EXPECTED TO PLAY TUESDAY
  2. "2013–2014 NHL Attendance – National Hockey League – ESPN". ESPN.
  3. National Hockey League (2010). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2011. Triumph Books. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-60078-422-4.
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  6. "FOLIGNO LIKELY TO MISS OPENER". Sabres.com. NHL.com. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
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  28. "Blues Sign Forward Mark Mancari – St Louis Blues – News". St. Louis Blues. July 5, 2013.
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  32. KONOPKA CLAIMED OFF WAIVERS BY BUFFALO
  33. SABRES CLAIM CORY CONACHER
  34. Blue Jackets claim forward Corey Tropp off waivers from Buffalo
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