Sabres Shift The Bar - Playoffs Are No Longer Optional

Buffalo players are talking like a team that has heard enough about patience and is ready to cash that in for results. After a second-round playoff exit, the mood has apparently moved from hopeful to expectant, and that is a big change in a room that has spent too much time explaining the future. The challenge now is the part everyone in the league knows comes next - turning a new standard into something you can actually survive in the standings.