Sabres midseason report shows surge, standouts and lingering concerns

The Sabres have 48 points through 41 games and have won 11 of their last 12, leaving them one point outside a playoff spot at the season midpoint.

The Sabres reached the halfway point of their schedule after a dramatic stretch that included a 10-game winning streak. A month earlier the team sat near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and faced management uncertainty. Buffalo has 48 points through 41 games and is on pace for 96 points, which would be the franchise's best total since 2010-11. The team now enters the second half with renewed momentum and several roster questions still unresolved. Notable developments: - Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 21 goals and is tied for second in the NHL with 16 five-on-five goals; he was also selected to play for Team USA at the Olympics. - Rasmus Samuelsson has stayed healthy, moved into a top-pair role next to Rasmus Dahlin, and is on pace for career highs in multiple defensive and offensive categories. - The offseason acquisition (from the Peterka trade) has stepped into a top-line role and is on pace for a career-best scoring season while contributing as a forechecker and in defensive play. - Isak Östlund has moved up from Rochester and, in 30 NHL games, has seven goals and five assists while the team outscored opponents in his five-on-five minutes. - Buffalo ranks second in the NHL in penalty kill percentage, while the power play has struggled, going seven straight games without a power-play goal and ranking in the low-20s in conversion and expected goals metrics. - Injuries have affected depth throughout the season; several players, including goaltenders and multiple defensemen and forwards, missed time and some remain on injured reserve. Summary: Buffalo's midseason surge has put the team within striking distance of a playoff spot and on pace for its best points total in over a decade. Special teams and injury recovery remain key issues, and the new general manager's trade decisions in the coming weeks — particularly around defensive depth and contract situations noted in the report — will be watched closely as the trade deadline approaches.