Even if you accept Skinner is better than Zucker, this is a pretty narrow way of judging whether or not a team improved.
Last year’s Sabres had a team that played too soft, and too slow and lacked accountability.
Skinner is hardly a useless player, but he was the poster child for the above. And most of the other guys they moved on from were also lacking in one or more of those areas.
Incoming are five players who rank among the league’s fastest, three of which would have led last years Sabres team in hits.
And they brought in a veteran coach who preaches hard, fast and accountable.
I don’t know that the Sabres are any more skilled than they were last year, but this is a team that took some pretty serious steps to address its most obvious shortcomings.
They are significantly faster, harder and more accountable.
You said they are faster, that's objectively true.
You said they are harder, that's objectively true.
You said they are more accountable with Lindy Ruff as their coach that's going to be objectively true.
You know what you didn't say? You didn't say that they were better,and I suspect I know why.
You said they were faster, harder and more accountable because you believe those things to be true, and I agree.
You did not say they are better, because they are not, and regardless of if you want to admit it or not you know it.
Even if they are better, and I don't think they are, but even if they are they aren't good enough to finish top 4 in the Atlantic and that's what It's going to take.
Which one of Toronto, Boston, Florida or Tampa are they overtaking? They aren't unless one of those teams suffer SEVERE injury and not just 1 either.
Truthfully I'm not convinced they are better than Ottawa or Detroit.
They are 5th in the Atlantic at best, 7th at worst