Plenty of seats were available for Thursday's game in Buffalo, and franchise center Jack Eichel completely understands.

The Sabres have been averaging 18,742 fans per game this season, but the 4-3 win over the New York Islanders was played in front of a crowd of 16,872, well below the KeyBank Center's capacity of 19,200.

Eichel, for one, understands it's hard to fill the rink as the team continues to sit near the bottom of the standings.

"You can't really blame them at this point," he said, per Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. "It's not like we're putting the best product on the ice. Hopefully if we start winning here with a couple months left, we start getting the people back in here and they start getting excited about it."

With Eichel emerging as a superstar, and with a new general manager and head coach at the helm, the Sabres were expected to take a step or two forward this season after years of rebuilding.

But Phil Housley, who has guided the team to a record of 15-29-10 in his first year behind the bench, recognizes the job is far from done:

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If Garth Snow plans to upgrade between the pipes prior to the trade deadline, he's certainly not showing his cards.

Speaking with Steven Marcus of Newsday, the New York Islanders general manager reaffirmed his confidence in his team's goaltending tandem, Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss.

While the two have struggled this season, Snow only has to look to the past to see that both netminders have the ability to win big games.

"We're fortunate that we have Jaro Halak, who was the top goaltender in the World Cup a little over a year ago. He's got a tremendous track record of clutch playoff performances," Snow said. "Without Thomas Greiss two years ago, we don't advance to the second round. Last year, he was excellent for us.

"For us, we know we have two quality goalies. It's finding the right solutions to help them perform at peak level ... I'm comfortable when our goalies are performing at their capabilities that we can go out there on any given night and win."

Despite the GM's vote of confidence, the Islanders surely could have used some goaltending help Thursday against the lowly Buffalo Sabres, as Halak surrendered the first two shots he faced before finishing the night with just 18 saves in a 4-3 loss to the Sabres.

Related: 5 ways to fix the Islanders' goaltending woes

The two blown points is a big blunder for an Islanders squad fighting for a playoff berth, as a win Thursday would have moved New York into a wild-card position.

While the Islanders have been one of the top scoring teams this season - only the Tampa Bay Lightning have found the back of the net more often - the team has been dogged by its pedestrian netminding. The Islanders have allowed a league-worst 201 goals, 15 more than the next worst club.

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The Chicago Blackhawks won't be loading up prior to the trade deadline.

With his team sitting last in the Central Division heading into Thursday's game against Dallas, Chicago general manager Stan Bowman shed some light into how he'll be approaching the deadline this time around.

"I don't expect us to be a buyer this year," Bowman said before puck drop, per The Athletic's Scott Powers. "It has nothing to do with where we are in the standings. It's just that each season is a little bit different. Your team is different.

"I think the strength of our team is we're trying to build some young players we're going to have. We have a lot of new players this year relative to last year. I think it's hard when you bring in 11, 12 new players every year."

The Blackhawks' challenge over the last several years has been fitting a supporting cast around its core, and it's even more difficult now that Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane carry cap hits of $10.5 million.

Players such as Nick Schmaltz (21) and Alex DeBrincat (20) have taken on bigger roles and sit second and third in team scoring, but the team has certainly been set back by an injury suffered to goaltender Corey Crawford.

As such, Bowman is taking a bigger-picture view in the midst of a down year.

"You look at some of the young guys, we're expecting them to take that next step," he said. "Bringing somebody in to sort of bump them from the lineup probably doesn't make much sense right now. I wouldn't expect us to be in that rental mode, bringing in a veteran player."

Not making the playoffs is not where this team wants to be though, so expect some measure of change.

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Matt Duchene has a fan for life.

Prior to Thursday's game against the Nashville Predators, Duchene was grabbing a drink on the bench when a young fan across the ice caught his eye.

The fan was holding a sign that read "I want to be just like you Duchene!" and the Ottawa Senators center responded with a big thumbs up, which clearly meant a lot.

The gesture came on a night when Kyle Turris returned to Ottawa, a player for whom Duchene was traded earlier this season and who was celebrated with a tribute and ovation during the first period.

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Taylor Hall believes justice has been served.

The New Jersey Devils forward appears content with the NHL's decision to suspend Ottawa's Alex Burrows for 10 games after a kneeing incident on Jan. 6.

"It’s a lot of games," Hall said Thursday, per Andrew Gross of The Record. "I think what they’re saying is it’s not really a hockey play. It’s not something you want to see in the game.

"I don’t know what his reaction was or his reasoning but it’s something where the reason it’s so high is they just want to exterminate it. They don’t want to see it again."

Burrows also accepted the decision, declining to appeal the suspension.

Immediately after the incident, Hall said Burrows seemed to have lost his mind, and Devils head coach John Hynes agreed that the player's actions were outside the scope of hockey-related events.

"It was certainly a warranted suspension and well deserved," Hynes said. "There’s no need for that in the game. It’s nice to see the league took swift action and the right action."

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Taylor Hall believes justice has been served.

The New Jersey Devils forward appears content with the NHL's decision to suspend Ottawa's Alex Burrows for 10 games after a kneeing incident on Jan. 6.

"It’s a lot of games," Hall said Thursday, per Andrew Gross of The Record. "I think what they’re saying is it’s not really a hockey play. It’s not something you want to see in the game.

"I don’t know what his reaction was or his reasoning but it’s something where the reason it’s so high is they just want to exterminate it. They don’t want to see it again."

Burrows also accepted the decision, declining to appeal the suspension.

Immediately after the incident, Hall said Burrows seemed to have lost his mind, and Devils head coach John Hynes agreed that the player's actions were outside the scope of hockey-related events.

"It was certainly a warranted suspension and well deserved," Hynes said. "There’s no need for that in the game. It’s nice to see the league took swift action and the right action."

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Ottawa Senators forward Alex Burrows is accepting the 10-game suspension handed down from the Department of Player Safety for kneeing Taylor Hall.

Burrows released the following statement Thursday afternoon, per the NHLPA:

I have received the NHL Department of Player Safety's decision, following the incident I was involved in during Tuesday night's game.

The situation was one in which I recognize I let my emotions get the better of me, and it was a relief to see that Taylor Hall was not injured.

I have decided to accept the NHL's decision, and will not being appealing it.

I will have no further comment regarding this matter.

Burrows is eligible to return to the Senators' lineup March 2.

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Ottawa Senators forward Alex Burrows is accepting the 10-game suspension handed down from the Department of Player Safety for kneeing Taylor Hall.

Burrows released the following statement Thursday afternoon, per the NHLPA:

I have received the NHL Department of Player Safety's decision, following the incident I was involved in during Tuesday night's game.

The situation was one in which I recognize I let my emotions get the better of me, and it was a relief to see that Taylor Hall was not injured.

I have decided to accept the NHL's decision, and will not being appealing it.

I will have no further comment regarding this matter.

Burrows is eligible to return to the Senators' lineup March 2.

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New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow wants to hold on to a pair of draft picks acquired from the Calgary Flames last summer.

As part of the return for defenseman Travis Hamonic, the Islanders received both a first- and second-round pick for 2018. Those selections would be highly coveted on the trade market around the deadline, but Snow has no desire to sacrifice those assets despite sitting outside the playoff picture.

"So, are we going to, at this point in time, be giving first-round picks and high picks for rental players? I don’t think we’re in that position," Snow said, per Newsday's Steven Marcus. "Just doesn’t make sense."

Snow also reiterated he won't be trading John Tavares amid uncertainty about the captain's long-term future with the team.

He added injuries have been a big factor as to why the Islanders are a playoff bubble team, and the belief seems to be the group as constituted can get the job done down the stretch.

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