With the NHL regular season right around the corner, TSN.ca profiles each team leading up to puck drop. Next up is the Buffalo Sabres, with nowhere to go but up after an abysmal 2013-14 campaign. Catch up on their summer moves and the issues they face this season, as well as Craig Buttons analysis of their top prospect and an analytical breakdown by TSNs Scott Cullen. Division: Atlantic GM: Tim Murray Head Coach: Ted Nolan 2013-14: 21-51-10 (8th in Atlantic) Playoffs: Did not qualify Goals For: 150 (30th) Goals Against: 243 (25th) PP: 14.1% (29th) PK: 81.4% (20th) That Was Then: The Buffalo Sabres 2013-14 campaign started and ended with identical seven-game losing streaks. In total, the club was beaten in 61 of its 82 games - or in nearly 75 per cent of its season. Buffalos 21 wins, 52 regular season points and 150 goals scored all ranked at the bottom of the league. The losing took its toll from management level all the way down through the roster. Head coach Ron Rolston and long-time general manager Darcy Regier were fired after the clubs 4-15-1 start. By the trade deadline, the club was in full fire sale mode when they dealt away long-time goalie Ryan Miller and star forward Thomas Vanek along with Matt Moulson, Cody McCormick and Steve Ott. Fans in Western New York can take solace that after a season like that, there really is nowhere to go but up. Scott Cullens Analytics Sabres 2013-14 Stats by Quarter Games GPG GAA SH% SV% SAF% PTS% 1-20 1.70 3.05 6.9 .916 39.7% .225 21-41 1.57 2.33 5.9 .926 44.4% .405 42-62 2.48 2.86 9.3 .916 42.9% .476 63-82 1.45 3.00 5.7 .910 40.8% .300 NHL AVG 2.67 2.67 7.8 .922 50.0% .562 Key: GPG= goals per game, GAA= goals-against per game, SH%= even-strength shooting percentage, SV%= even-strength save percentage, SAF%= score-adjusted Fenwick percentage (differential of shot attempts faced vs. shot attempts, excluding blocked shots, adjusted for game score), PTS%= percentage of available points. Analysis: Games 1-20: Trouble from get-go, with horrific possession numbers leading to a massive goal deficit. Games 21-41: Got even worse offensively, but possession improved and Ryan Miller was strong in goal. Games 42-62: Possession still a problem, but went on a (relative) hot streak offensively, led by Ennis, Hodgson and Stafford. Games 63-82: Faded down the stretch, with a patchwork lineup and a goaltending change putting up subpar numbers across the board. Key 2014 Additions: RW Brian Gionta, C Cody McCormick, LW Matt Moulson, C Sam Reinhart, D Andrej Meszaros, D Tyson Strachan, D Josh Gorges Key 2014 Subtractions: D Christian Ehrhoff, F Cory Conacher, LW Ville Leino This Is Now: With veteran coach Ted Nolan dropping the interim title behind the bench, general manager Tim Murray wasted no time this summer rebuilding his battered club. First up, using compliance buyouts on Christian Ehrhoff and Ville Leino. On Free Agent Frenzy day, the Sabres brought back Moulson and McCormick on three-year deals and added veteran winger Brian Gionta. The blue line was bolstered by the signing of Andrej Meszaros and acquiring Josh Gorges from Montreal. And before the summer was out, the team re-signed Tyler Ennis to a five-year contract. The Sabres didnt score much last year, but the players who did are all back in the fold. Cody Hodgson led the team in points with 44 (20 G, 24 A) and re-joins Ennis (21 G, 22 A) up front. Youngsters Zemgus Girgensons (8 G, 14 A) and Drew Stafford (16 G, 18 A) are also looking to take the next steps in their development. Joining the fray is Buffalos second-overall draft pick, Sam Reinhart. The 18-year-old forward tallied 105 points (36 G, 69 A) for the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League and the Sabres could certainly use a boost in firepower as Reinhart develops. He has a good chance of making the squad right out of training camp this season. In goal, the battle for playing time will be between Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth. DEPTH CHART Forwards Left Wing Centre Right Wing Matt Moulson Cody Hodgson Drew Stafford Tyler Ennis Sam Reinhart Brian Gionta Marcus Foligno Zemgus Girgensons Chris Stewart Cody McCormick Torrey Mitchell Brian Flynn Nicolas Deslauriers Mikhail Grigorenko Patrick Kaleta Johan Larsson Zac Dalpe Joel Armia Defence Left Right Josh Gorges Tyler Myers Nikita Zadorov Rasmus Ristolainen Andrej Mezaros Andre Benoit Mike Weber Mark Pysyk Jake McCabe Chad Ruhwedel Goaltenders Michal Neuvirth Jhonas Enroth Matt Hackett Craigs List TSN Director of Scouting Craig Buttons Top Prospect: If there was a Hockey Mensa Society, Sam Reinhart would be a member. The ability to think at a high level is required to play successfully in the NHL. Sam has a next generation processor when it comes to playing. His ability to think ahead, anticipate what is unfolding and then act is a skill that sets him apart. Like a chess grandmaster, he manipulates the ice to the advantage of his team. Fantasy - Cullens Player to Watch - Tyler Ennis There is not a lot of fantasy gold to be spun out of a team that had two players (three, if you count Matt Moulsons full season with three clubs) finish with more than 35 points last year. However, Ennis is one of the few Buffalo forwards with offensive upside. After a rough start to the year, he finished last season with 28 points in his last 39 games, which might be enough to draw fantasy interest, if his plus-minus isnt dragged down to a minus-25 again. Spencer Dinwiddie Nets Jersey . They actually finished with a better record in ‘07 than they did in ‘06 but only marginally, going from 61 victories to 66. Wilson Chandler Nets Jersey .com) - NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills. https://www.netsrookiesshop.com/Kevin-Du...Edition-Jersey/. The game marks the rare occasion when two homegrown running backs, Jon Cornish of the Calgary Stampeders and Andrew Harris of the B.C. Lions, will start in the West Divisions battle for a Grey Cup berth. Henry Ellenson Jersey ... as usual. Even with the salary cap being set lower than many general managers expected and hoped for at $69 million and whats considered a shallow pool of top-end players available, this unrestricted-free-agent period figures to follow the familiar script of teams bidding up prices to keep up with each other. David Nwaba Jersey .com) - Generally you want to be the guy who replaces the guy who replaced the legend. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Barry Bonds certainly thinks hes worthy of election to the Hall of Fame. "Without a doubt," baseballs home run king said Monday at the San Francisco Giants spring training camp, where he will serve as a hitting instructor for a week. The 49-year-old Bonds spent his last 15 big league seasons with San Francisco, finishing in 2007 with 762 homers. But his final years were clouded by suspicions of performance-enhancing drug use, and the seven-time NL MVP was convicted of one obstruction count in April 2011 by a jury that found an answer he gave was criminally evasive during 2003 testimony before a grand jury investigating the distribution of PEDs. And he didnt even come close to election to the Hall in his first two turns on the ballot. Advice for the writers who have not voted for him: "You guys are all adults. I have no advice for you." One topic he wouldnt discuss: Alex Rodriguez, who is serving a season-long drug suspension. Bonds said he respects Rodriguez and will talk to him individually, "not in a press conference." Meeting with about three dozen media for about 30 minutes on a patio overlooking the left field area at Scottsdale Stadium, Bonds wanted to put the controversial past behind him. "It feels really good to be back," Bonds said. "It feels good to give back to the game that I love. Hopefully, Ill be a part of this longer. ... Im enjjoying it.dddddddddddd "I am more nervous at this than I was playing, because it was only my mind and me. Hopefully I can bring good value to the ballclub. Well see how it works out," he added. "I dont even know if Im good at it." Looking about 30 pounds lighter than his playing weight of 230 and considerably more affable, Bonds wore an orange-and-black Giants cap, a black windbreaker and baseball pants, ready for the first day of work in a seven-day stay in camp. He appeared relaxed, laughing and joking more in a few minutes than he did during the years when he ruled the teams clubhouse from his corner reclining chair. "Im just a different character. I was a different character playing," he said. "Now Ive had time to slow down, do other things. I needed that guy to play, its who I was at the time. Im the same person, just a different character. ... Teammates used to say, you dont play when youre nice. It worked. Whatever it was, it worked." After meeting with the media, Bonds watched Posey and others intently in the batting cage. "The timing was right. Thats why its happening now," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Its good for Barry to see how its going to work for him. To me, he is one of the greatest minds in baseball." Would he perhaps like to manage some day? "I want to try and get through these seven days first," he said with a laugh. ' ' '