NHL Quarter Mark Shockers: Which Teams Are Surpassing Expectations—and Which Are Crashing Hard?
Buffalo Sabres: C
The Sabres are once again near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, and inconsistency has been their biggest issue. But their grade is boosted by the fact that they’ve stayed somewhat competitive despite being in the top five in man-games lost this season. We’ll be able to give a better assessment of this team once their roster is healthier. — Matthew Fairburn
Calgary Flames: D+
Perhaps our season-ending grade for the Flames last season was a bit harsh, considering they overachieved and nearly made the playoffs. This should be a fairer grade this time around, as the team’s lack of goal-scoring touch, combined with their youth underachieving (Matthew Coronato excluded) and muddied message around their retool/rebuild, has contributed to a tough start to their season. — Julian McKenzie
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