Through five games in the 2013-14 season, the Buffalo Sabres look like a bad hockey team.

Really bad.

After years of playoff contention being an expectation instead of a hope, everything is now different. Anyone who still expects this team to make a run is poorly misguided. The team is in sole possession of last place in the NHL and is one of two winless teams.

Things can only get better, right?

One of the important things to understand is just how young this team is. They are the NHL’s youngest, checking in with an average age of 25.45, which is more than 0.5 years younger than the average Toronto Maple Leaf (the second-youngest team).

With time, you can expect to see a better, more consistent product on the ice. But for now, be prepared for the worst.

Let’s take a look at what we’ve learned through the first five games.

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