Even after losing the 2015 draft lottery, Buffalo will still be able to add top-tier prospect Jack Eichel to its already impressive crop of young players and prospects. So there’s reason to be optimistic about the Sabres going forward, but one area that they still have to address is their goaltending.
They only have one netminder with more than a game worth of NHL experience under contract and that’s 28-year-old backup Chad Johnson. Meanwhile Anders Lindback is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but he has expressed an interest in coming back.
Lindback had a disastrous start to the season with Dallas, but he posted a 2.76 GAA and .924 save percentage in 16 contests with Buffalo.
“It’s all about giving the team a chance, and I think I did most games,” Lindback told the Buffalo News. “I proved to myself and to everybody that I can play in this league, but I still think there’s room for improvement. I think I can get better, and I think I will.
“One thing I want to improve is just be at a higher level all the time and never give up those bad goals. You look at the best goalies in the league, that’s what they’re good at. Every night they’re making those saves. That’s where I want to be.”
He’s convinced the Buffalo Sabres will be able to climb out of the NHL basement after being stuck there for the last two seasons. The question is if he fits into Sabres GM Tim Murray’s plans. So far there hasn’t been any contract negotiations between the two parties.