Inside look at Buffalo Sabres

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Buffalo Sabres.

The times are changing for the Buffalo Sabres and with them are greater expectations.

After finishing one point behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, the Sabres appear poised to take the next step and potentially end the longest active NHL playoff drought at 12 seasons.

"Last year, there was no expectations," Buffalo captain Kyle Okposo said May 25. "Everybody's writing rosy articles and this group is a good team, it's becoming a good team. And that's great, but how do you do that with expectations? There's guys that are starting to get bigger contracts, there's guys that are starting to get noticed nationally. There's going to be lofty expectations next year and I think that we can't run from that.

"The time is now. Our window, I think it's opening, and we have to be prepared for that."

General manager Kevyn Adams and the front office has allowed one of the youngest rosters in the NHL to grow together, even with some Atlantic Division rivals opting for more of a splash in the offseason.

"We have to focus on the Buffalo Sabres and what's best for us," Adams said July 2. "What I also balance is we have a really, really deep prospect pool that is as strong as you probably see in the National Hockey League. … But you also want to get better and win and be a really good team next year. So, I paid attention to it, but we have a plan and we're going to stick to our plan. I believe wholeheartedly that the people we have now are ready to take a big step -- and they believe it, more importantly, in that locker room. And then we added players that will, in my opinion, just further that and move that ball forward this year."

The Sabres used free agency to fill needs at defenseman with Erik Johnson, 35, and Connor Clifton, 28. Each brings valuable playoff experience including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, Johnson as a Cup champion with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 and Clifton reaching the 2019 Final with the Boston Bruins. They'll also help solidify the defense corps behind Rasmus Dahlin, 23, Owen Power, 20, and Mattias Samuelsson, 23, while helping a penalty kill that was 28th in the NHL (73.0 percent).

Tage Thompson led Buffalo with 94 points (47 goals, 47 assists). Jeff Skinner set personal bests in assists (47) and points (82) while surpassing 30 goals for the sixth time in the NHL. The core also includes forwards Alex Tuch (36 goals, 43 assists), Dylan Cozens (31 goals, 37 assists) and Casey Mittelstadt (15 goals, 44 assists).

Thompson and Cozens each enter the first season of a seven-year contract.

"I really like where our forward group's at," Adams said. "Obviously, Jack Quinn is someone that we thought was going to take a big step this year and was going to play a key role, and he still will. That changes in terms of what our forward group looks like, but I also think there's a lot of internal competition in spots that people are going to come into training camp hungry for, and some really good young players are going to push."

Quinn will be out several months to start the season after the 21-year-old had surgery to repair an Achilles tendon injury sustained during offseason training, so 19-year-old forward prospects Matt Savoie and Jiri Kulich will be among those vying for the open roster spot.

There have been questions about the inexperience in goal with Devon Levi, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie having played a combined 100 NHL games. Levi, 21, and Luukkonen, 24, have combined for 53 and could be the tandem when the season begins.

"You can go sign a veteran goalie that's played a lot of games but if you don't think he's better than the ones you have, then why would you do that?" Adams said. "So yeah, in a perfect world you have some more games under your belt, but I'm comfortable. I've said that all along. I really think we're in a position of strength there and I like what we have."