Sabres have 'new standard' after summer of internal growth

Speaking to the media at locker cleanout last season, Jack Eichel issued a message to fans that the Buffalo Sabres were going to do whatever it took to right the ship following a last-place finish. He said it would start with the team's leadership group, himself included.
The consensus when camp opened on Thursday was that the offseason had been a step in the right direction. Players spoke of a newfound accountability in the dressing room, forged through difficult conversations in which they identified areas in need of change.
The result, Eichel said, is a team ready to move forward without dwelling on the past.

"You want to create something in camp, you want to create a culture, want to create a new identity as a group," Eichel said. "I think last year, we put that behind us as a group. There's a lot of new people in here. I think there's a new mindset, there's a new standard and I think you'll see a different group of guys with the way we conduct ourselves and handle ourselves."

Sabres coach Phil Housley credited his leadership group with spurring that change. Veterans spoke throughout last season about the need for more player-to-player accountability, the ability to give and receive constructive criticism. This summer, they forced the issue.
"We talked about change at the end of last year, right? There's a lot of people in that locker room, a lot of players that needed to change," Housley said. "And this is myself included, our coaching staff, and it's good to see them really self-reflect. In that change, they held each other accountable.
"They had to get things out on the table. I give all them the credit, because they have had to put themselves in a vulnerable position at times, they've had to listen to feedback and a lot of criticism that I think they might not like to hear. But if you are gonna make a difference and you want to change the direction of this franchise, we have to change as people and it's good to see that they were able to do that over the summer."

Player-to-coach communication has improved too. Eichel visited Housley's home state of Minnesota for an offseason golf outing, which also included fellow alternate captain Kyle Okposo and rookie Casey Mittelstadt, among others.
"That's one of the things I feel more confident in now than I've ever been," Eichel said. "I think there's that open line of communication. You feel like if you have something bothering you, you can get it off your chest, if you think that we have to change something around the room - whatever it may be.
"Phil's been great for the last few weeks with us, having our input, seeing what we think. So, I think it's sort of a bit of a change for us. It's a good one. That's how it needs to be."
The result through one day of camp is a revitalized atmosphere, evident in the statements made on Thursday. Zach Bogosian, another alternate captain last season, spoke of barriers being broken between players. Even Carter Hutton, a newcomer to the team, went out of his way to mention the openness he's recognized in the dressing room.
"I think so far what I've seen here is so many guys have really opened up and tried to become vulnerable, knowing where they need to improve and what needs to get better because obviously the results haven't been there the last few years," Hutton said. "I think as a core group we're all committed to turning this thing around and winning hockey games."

Of course, newcomers like Hutton give players even more reason to be excited. He was one of several acquisitions made during the offseason, along with scoring wingers Conor Sheary and Jeff Skinner, a promising prospect in Tage Thompson and playoff-tested veterans in Patrik Berglund, Matt Hunwick and Vladimir Sobotka.
With that group, along with the No. 1 overall pick in Rasmus Dahlin and last year's No. 8 pick in Casey Mittelstadt, the Sabres should have a roster that's faster and deeper than in recent years. Other rookies like Alex Nylander, Brendan Guhle and Rasmus Asplund should push the vets and make for a competitive camp.

Nothing will happen overnight. Housley stressed multiple times that his young team will face adversity at some point, as all teams do. But whereas the Sabres struggled to rebound in adverse times last season, he believes their newfound mindset will now allow them to put it behind them as it happens. The trick, he said, is controlling what they can control and taking things one day at a time.
Through one day, things are looking up.
"I think there's a lot of good energy in the building," Eichel said. "I think guys are excited, all the way trickling down to trainers. I think everyone knows how we can be a much better team, much different team. It's not going to happen overnight. But I think we see our potential."
Here are more notes and observations from media day at KeyBank Center.

Reinhart negotiations still ongoing

Sam Reinhart has spent the last two weeks skating with his Sabres teammates at Harborcenter, but he was absent on Thursday as the team and his agents continue to negotiate a new contract. Reinhart is the team's only un-signed restricted free agent.
"Sam's not here today," general manager Jason Botterill told The Instigators. "We'll continue to work with him and his advisors to try and get him into Buffalo as quick as possible here. It's a situation where Sam's a big part of our future.
"I think it was great that Sam was around our guys the last week or so, training here. It goes to show how much he wants to be a part of our group here in Buffalo. We'll keep the dialogue going and try to get him into training camp as quick as possible."

Bogosian is 100 percent

Bogosian only played 18 games last season before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He returned to the ice in June and ramped up his skating as the summer wore on, including playing exhibition games alongside other NHL players in Da Beauty League, a summer hockey league in Minnesota.
Now, the defenseman says he's completely healthy for the first time in a long time.
"I'm good to go," he said. "I know it's been a long time since I've been able to say that. I'm feeling good, I've had a good summer of training and I'm good to go."

This weekend's camp schedule

All sessions are at Harborcenter and are free and open to the public.
Friday, Sept. 14
Session one: 9:45 - 10:20 a.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 10:25 - 11:15 a.m. (KeyBank Rink)
Session two: 11:45 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 12:25 - 1:15 p.m. (KeyBank Rink)

Saturday, Sept. 15
Session one: 9:45 - 10:20 a.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 10:25 - 11:15 a.m. (KeyBank Rink)
Session two: 11:45 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 12:25 - 1:15 p.m. (KeyBank Rink)

Sunday, Sept. 16
Practice: 9:45 - 10:15 a.m. (Both rinks)
Scrimmage: 10:30 - 11:15 a.m. (KeyBank Rink)
You'll be able to find written and video recaps here each day.
Click here for the full camp roster.
We broke it down for you here.