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Buffalo Sabres 2017-18 Individual Stats Leaders--Final |
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The 2017-18 NHL season is over for the Buffalo Sabres and they went out with a whimper going 0-4-0 during April for a final record of 25-45-12. All that's left is locker cleanout on Monday, along with Phil Housley speaking to the media that day, and general manager Jason Botterill addressing the media on Wednesday before what looks like a busy off season.
As a team, this group of players put on an abysmal performance falling far below even modest expectations. Within that context some individuals, mostly the usual suspects, had their names in the group of monthly leaders on a regular basis.
It begins with Jack Eichel. The 21 yr. old continues to knock on the door of that point/game season as he finished this year with 64 points in 67 games. Eichel put up career numbers across the board and lead the Sabres outright in points and assists (39) and was tied with Sam Reinhart for the team lead in goals with 25. Twenty-three of Eichel's assists were of the primary variety, second only to Ryan O'Reilly on the team.
In addition to O'Reilly leading the team with 26 primary assists he also had a team-high 15 powerplay goals. O'Reilly was also second in points (61,) goals (24) and assists (37.) It was a the third year in a row he scored 20+ goals as a Sabre and the third time in his career he hit the 60+ point mark, something he's done twice in his three years with the club.
The aforementioned Reinhart had 25 goals for the first time in his career and hit the 50-point mark for the first time which was good for third on the team behind Eichel and O'Reilly.
According to Sabres PR, this is the first time since the 2011-12 season (Pominville, Vanek, Stafford) that the Sabres had three 50-point players and the Sabres finished with two 25-goal scorers (Eichel and Reinhart) under 23 years of age for the first time since the 1991-92 season (Alexander Mogilny and Donald Audette).
In addition to his usual workload (26:29 ATOI, fourth in the league,) defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen lead the team with 22 powerplay assists and was third on the team with 35 total assists.
For a team with a minus-81 goal differential, it's not surprising to see that the best plus/minus of any player appearing in 40 or more Sabres games was Marco Scandella's minus-8. Rookie Victor Antipin was a minus-9 and Evan Rodrigues clocked in at a minus-10.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the bottom of the plus/minus scale has some frightening numbers. Kyle Okposo's minus-34 was worst on the team and is second worst in the league (Nick Leddy, NYI, minus-42.) Johan Larsson had a minus-30 (eighth-worst in the league) while Eichel and Ristolainen came in at a minus-25 each.
Of note, however, is that Okposo, Eichel and Ristolainen, among others, had their numbers all affected by empty net goals against. The Sabres gave up a league record 22 empty-net goals against (with only six 6v5 goals for) this season eclipsing Colorado's 19 in 2015-16. Here's a breakdown of players on the ice for empty net goals against:
O'Reilly-18
Eichel-17
Ristolainen-17
Kane-13
Pominville-13
Okposo-11
Reinhart-11
Scandella-9
Rodrigues-5
McCabe-3
Girgensons-3
Guhle-3
Wilson-2
Beaulieu-2
Nelson-1
Larsson-1
Mittelstadt-1
Pouliot-1
In addition to those numbers which negatively affect plus/minus, the Sabres gave up 10 short handed goals against (while scoring eight shorthanded goals-for,) which tied them for third most in the league. Eichel, Okposo and Reinhart were on the ice for a team-high eight shorthanded goals-against, O'Reilly seven, Ristolainen and Nathan Beaulieu five.
When adding both empty net and shorthanded goals against, Eichel and O'Reilly totaled 25, Ristolainen 22, Okposo and Reinhart 19 each and Kane 16. The next closest was seven. Although it's not designed to let those players off the hook completely for their atrocious plus/minus ratings, taking those numbers into account does add a little more perspective as to how they ended up there. As for Larsson?
Finally, goalie Robin Lehner did not play in April as he was nursing an injury and he could be done as a Buffalo Sabre. If so Lehner will be ending his career on a low-note with his highest GAA (3.01) and lowest Sv% (.908) in his three-year Sabres career. Backup Chad Johnson went 0-4-0 in April, saw his save percentage drop and his goals-against balloon. If he was looking to stick around next year as Linus Ullmark's backup, should the team go in that direction, he didn't play like he wanted that spot.
Good for Adam Wilcox who finally made it to the NHL. Wilcox came out in relief of Johnson in the season finale last night against the Florida Panthers for his first NHL game. The former sixth-round pick (2011, TBL) did not allow a goal on 14 shots against in 38:39 of action.
Next year promises plenty of new faces as Buffalo has a lot of unrestricted free agents coupled with a number of players who look like they're ready for the big club. Until then, the individual stats portion of the program for the 2017-18 season is complete.
Buffalo Sabres 2017-18 Individual Stats leaders:
Points
--October: Pominville, Kane, Eichel, 12; O'Reilly, 8
--November: Kane, 11; Okposo, 9; O'Reilly, 8
--December: Eichel, 16; Kane, 11; O'Reilly, 8
--January: Eichel, 14; Okposo, 12; Ristolainen, 11
--February: O'Reilly, 12; Reinhart, 10; Ristolainen, Rodrigues , 9
--March: Reinhart, 14; O'Reilly, 11; Eichel, 9
--2017-18: Eichel, 64; O'Reilly, 61; Reinhart, 50
--2016-17: Eichel, 57; O'Reilly, 55; Reinhart, 47
Goals
--October: Pominville, Kane, 6; Eichel, O'Reilly, 4
--November: Kane, 6; Pouliot, 4; Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart, Okposo, 3
--December: Eichel, 8; Kane, Okposo, 3; six with 2
--January: Eichel, Reinhart, 5; O'Reilly, 4; Okposo, 3
--February: O'Reilly, 5; Kane, Reinhart, Rodrigues, Wilson, 4; (three with 3)
--March: Reinhart, 9; O'Reilly, 4; Eichel, Pominville, 3
--2017-18: Eichel, Reinhart, 25; O'Reilly 24; Kane, 20
--2016-17: Kane, 28; Eichel, 24; O'Reilly, 20
Powerplay Goals
--October: O'Reilly, 3; Pominville, Kane, Reinhart, 1
--November: O'Reilly, Pouliot, Reinhart, Okposo, 1
--December: Eichel, Kane, Pominville, Rodrigues, 1
--January: O'Reilly, Reinhart, 3; Okposo, 2
--February: O'Reilly, 4; Eichel, Kane, Pominville, Reinhart, Okposo, 1
--March: Reinhart, 5; O'Reilly, 3; Pominville, Okposo, 1
--2017-18: O'Reilly, 15; Reinhart, 12; Okposo, 6
--2016-17: Moulson, 11; Eichel, 10; Reinhart, 9
Assists
--October: Eichel, 8 Pominville, Kane, 6
--November: Okposo, 6; Kane, O'Reilly, 5
--December: Eichel, Kane, 8; O'Reilly, 6; Scandella, 5
--January: Eichel, Okposo, Ristolainen, 9; O'Reilly, 6
--February: O'Reilly, 7; Reinhart, Okposo, Ristolainen, 6
--March: Ristolainen, 8; O'Reilly, 7; Eichel, 6
--2017-18: Eichel, 39; O'Reilly, 37; Ristolainen, 35
--2016-17: Ristolainen, 39; O'Reilly, 35; Eichel, 33
Powerplay Assists
--October: Kane, Ristolainen, 2; six players with 1
--November: Kane, 3; Okposo, 2; three players with 1
--December: Eichel, Ristolainen, 2; Kane, Reinhart, Okposo, 1
--January: Eichel, 7; Ristolainen, 6; Okposo, 4
--February: Ristolainen, 6; Okposo, 5; O'Reilly, 3
--March: Eichel, Ristolainen, 5; O'Reilly, Reinhart, Okposo, Rodrigues 2;
--2017-18: Ristolainen, 22; Eichel, 17; Okposo, 15
--2016-17: Ristolainen, 24; Okposo, O'Reilly, 16; Eichel, 14
Primary Assists
--October: Eichel, 7; O'Reilly, Ristolainen, 4; Kane, Beaulieu, 2
--November: Eichel, 4; O'Reilly, Okposo, 3; four players with 2
--December: Eichel, Kane, O'Reilly, 5; Scandella, 3; McCabe, 2
--January: Okposo, 7; Eichel, O'Reilly, Ristolainen, Scandella, 3
--February: O'Reilly, 6; Reinhart, 5; Okposo, Larsson, Nelson, 3
--March: Ristolainen, 6; O'Reilly, 5; Pominville, 4
--2017-18: O'Reilly, 26; Eichel, 23; Ristolainen, 18
--2016-17: O'Reilly, 23; Reinhart, 22; Eichel, Ristolainen, 19
Plus/Minus
--October: Pominville, +3; Girgensons, Gorges, +1; Pouliot, even
--November: Reinhart, Nolan, Scandella, Antipin, even; Kane, Griffith, Gorges, -1
--December: O'Reilly, +2; Girgensons, Wilson, +1; Larsson, McCabe, even
--January: O'Reilly, +2, Ristolainen, Scandella, McCabe, even
--February: Scandella, +4; Pouliot, Reinhart, Nelson, +3; O'Reilly, +2
--March: Pouliot, +1; Pominville, Rodrigues, -2; Ristolainen, Beaulieu, -3
--2017-18 (min 40 gms.): Pouliot, -8; Antipin, -9; Rodrigues, -10
--2016-17 (min 40 gms.): Carrier, Foligno, O'Reilly -1; Grant, Gorges, Falk, -3
Plus/Minus (Bottom)
--October: O'Reilly, -9; Reinhart, -8; Okposo, -7
--November: O'Reilly, Larsson, -8; McCabe, -7; Beaulieu, -6
--December: Kane, Pominville, -7; Ristolainen, -6; Rodrigues, -5
--January: Girgensons, -7; Eichel, Beaulieu, Falk, -6
--February: Okposo, -10; Ristolainen, -6; Larsson, Wilson, Beaulieu, Antipin, -3
--March: Wilson, -9; Eichel, Reinhart, Nelson, -8; O'Reilly, Larsson, Scandella, Falk -6
--2017-18: Okposo, -34; Larsson, -30; Eichel, Ristolainen, -25
--2016-17: Kulikov, -26; Kane, Bogosian, -17; Eichel, -13
Goalies (composite)
Robin Lehner
--October: 4-2-1; 2.78 GAA; .911 Sv%; 1 shutout
--November: 5-11-2; 2.92; . 906, 1
--December: 9-14-5; 2.74; .915; 1
--January: 11-19-6; 2.85; .912; 3
--February: 13-23-8; 2.95; .910; 3
--March: 14-26-9; 3.01; .908; 3
--2017-18: 14-26-9; 3.01; .908; 3
Chad Johnson
--October: 1-3-1; 4.06 GAA; .879 Sv%; 0 shutouts
--November: 1-4-2; 3.59; .885; 0
--December: 1-6-3; 3.78; .881; 0
--January: 2-8-3; 3.64; .884; 0
--February: 6-10-3; 3.18; .896; 0
--March: 10-13-3; 3.35; .896; 0
--2017-18: 10-17-3; 3.55; .891; 0
Linus Ullmark
--January: 1-0-0; 1.00 GAA; .978 Sv%; 0 shutouts
--March: 1-2-0; 2.00; .935; 0
--2017-18: 1-2-0; 2.00; .935; 0
Adam Wilcox
--2017-18: 0-0-0; 0.00 GAA; 1.000 Sv%; 0 shutouts
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