Sabres GM: Housley will return as head coach

Despite a last-place finish in the NHL standings this year, Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill still has faith in head coach Phil Housley.

The Sabres held their end of the year press conference on Wednesday, during which Botterill said Housley would return as the team's head coach next season.

"One-hundred percent, Phil Housley will be our coach next year," Botterill said. "I have certainly enjoyed working with Phil. The way I want to put the team together, the way he wants to play, it's a good mix."

Housley is coming off his first year as a head coach in the league after serving as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators from 2013-2017.

While the team won't make any changes behind the bench, Botterill did hint at potential changes to the team's core players.

"There certainly has to be change, and there will be change," Botterill said. "When you finish where we did, you have to look at everything, and that includes even changing up our core players."

The Sabres finished the year with a record of 25-45-12 and now have the best odds (18.5 percent) at landing the first overall pick in the draft.