The Ex-Sabre Files – Atlantic Division Update

The Buffalo Sabres have a number of former players spread out over the NHL. Some of them are doing quite well, while others are struggling.

Here is an update on former Sabres playing for teams in the Atlantic Division:

Jake McCabe (Toronto) – After eight years in the Sabres organization, the 31-year-old blueliner signed with Chicago and played just over a year in the Windy City before being dealt to Toronto along with current Sabre Sam Lafferty. In his third year in Blue and White, McCabe has 13 points (1 goal, 12 assists) in 37 games and recently agreed to a multi-year extension with the Leafs.

Sam Reinhart (Florida) – Last season was a banner year for the former second-overall pick, finishing second to Auston Matthews with 57 goals and scoring the winning goal for Florida in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. This season, Reinhart is on pace to score over 50 again, with 27 goals in 46 games for the Panthers.

Reinhart's Stanley Cup-Winning Goal in Game 7 Following a sequence of close calls, Sam Reinhart scores to put the Panthers up 2-1 in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final

Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay) – The longest-serving Sabre since being drafted 14th overall in 2012, Girgensons signed a three-year, $2.55 million deal with Tampa Bay. The 31-year-old depth forward has just two assists in 43 games with the Lightning.

Nikita Zadorov (Boston) – After a monster season with Calgary and Vancouver, the big Russian blueliner signed a six-year, $30 million deal with the Bruins last summer. Zadorov has been slow to settle in with Boston, with just 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in 46 games, but leads the NHL in penalty minutes with 89.

Linus Ullmark (Ottawa) – After signing a free-agent deal with Boston, Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy in 2023, but with youngster Jeremy Swayman ready to take over, the Bruins traded the 31-year-old to the Senators. He has had a good start with Ottawa (12-7-2, 2.38 GAA, .915 sv %), but was placed on injured reserve with back issues in late December.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

There is a softness mentally with this team and Rasmus Dahlin after the game, Russ, you know, use the excuse that they said that they weren't going to use at the beginning of the year while we're young. It's like, you know, we have to learn how to win and it's like, no, no, no, no, no. You learn how to win by winning, right? You know, you, you learn how to win by not repeating the same mistakes that you make. And that's all they're doing is repeating the same mistakes that they make. I don't know if it's the, it's the constitution of the team or the coach or a combination of the two. It's everything. I think they need a complete flush again, like not player wise, but other things. Yeah. And, and I mean, I don't think that's going to happen at least with the coaching because Lindy signed a two-year contract. They're still paying Don Granato and they're not going to go out and fire Lindy Ruff and then hire a third coach. What has he done to keep his job? Let's ask that question. Well, I mean, I don't know if everything is on Lindy, but I think one of the things that needed to be done after Don Granato, cause Don Granato was a good man who, you know, treated the players with respect, but the director. He treated us with respect. He bought us coffee. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But the direction of the team was sort of all over the place. Yeah. Lindy's got them in a direction. It's just not the right direction right now. Yeah. Yeah.