The Montreal Canadiens may not have been the busiest team this summer, but they still loom as a major problem for the Buffalo Sabres.
That’s the crux of the latest entry in TheHockeyNews.com’s “Know Your Enemy” series, which continues its look at Buffalo’s Eastern Conference opponents. This time, the focus is on Montreal - a club that was the better playoff team last season and one the Sabres will have to get through if they want to take another step in 2026-27.
Buffalo’s 2025-26 season ended with a lot to celebrate. The Sabres finished first in the Atlantic Division, knocked off the Boston Bruins in the opening round, and finally snapped a decade-and-a-half playoff drought. But the run stopped in the second round, where Montreal eliminated them and sent them into the offseason.
The Sabres and Canadiens split their regular-season series last year, with each side winning twice in regulation. That kind of balance could show up again this season, because Montreal has not made any major roster changes and, according to the source article, has been built expertly by GM Kent Hughes.
For Buffalo, the challenge starts in goal. To avoid another spring exit at the hands of the Canadiens, the Sabres will need to outplay Montreal in the goaltending department, and there’s no guarantee that happens.
The task got tougher with Buffalo losing key pieces Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram. If the Sabres are going to close the gap, they’ll need internal growth from their young players, along with a significant jump overall.
There is still a path for Buffalo to turn the tables on Montreal. But if the Canadiens knock them out again, Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen could be much more aggressive in the trade and free-agent markets next summer.
Both teams have reasons to feel good about where they are. But only one can avoid the kind of early playoff exit that would bring serious consequences, and if Buffalo gets bounced by Montreal for a second straight year, a major roster overhaul could follow for the 2027-28 season.
In Other News...
Colten Ellis Has A Real Chance To Change Buffalos Goalie Plans
Training camp is about to put the Sabres goaltending picture under a spotlight, and Colten Ellis suddenly sits in the middle of it. Buffalo already has three netminders on the roster, with Ellis joining Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and the young goalie is arriving with a chance to make his case after finishing last season with a winning record. At 25, he is the youngest of the group, which makes the next few weeks about more than just reps and preseason work. It could shape how the Sabres view their crease for the present and the future.
Ellis is also at a crossroads because his performance could influence more than playing time. Buffalo still has to sort through its rotation plans while keeping an eye on looming free agency for both Ellis and Lyon, and the organizations wider goalie search adds another layer of pressure to every camp session. If Ellis takes advantage of the opportunity, he could force the Sabres to rethink what they want from the position and possibly alter the way they approach the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sabres Defenseman Is Back In Trade Rumors Again
The Bruins have too many defensemen and not enough room to keep everyone happy, which is why Henri Jokiharju has surfaced in trade chatter again as training camp approaches. Bostons blue line depth has created a squeeze, and Jokiharju is one of the names drawing interest along with Mason Lohrei as clubs around the league start sorting out their own rosters.
For Sabres fans, the angle is familiar even if the destination is not. Jokiharju was once part of Buffalos defense mix, and his name being linked to movement again naturally invites a second look, but the Sabres may not be in position to join the bidding. Buffalos recent Zach Metsa extension points toward a group that already feels more settled on defense, which could leave the former Sabres blueliner in the kind of market where one teams surplus becomes another teams opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Face A Reality Check With Key Regression Candidates
Peyton Krebs, Jason Zucker and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen all come with a little more uncertainty than the Sabres would prefer heading into 2026-27, especially after each flashed enough last season to make the picture look a bit brighter than it may really be. Krebs value was tied to unusual usage, Zucker is at the stage of his career where managing his workload matters as much as producing, and Luukkonen still has to show the kind of consistency Buffalo has chased from him for a while now.
For the Sabres, the concern is not whether those players can help, but whether last year already represented the high end of what they can reasonably expect. Krebs may have to settle into a much lighter role, Zuckers impact could shrink with age, and Luukkonen is under added scrutiny as the team keeps searching for stability in net after its offseason pursuit of Connor Hellebuyck. [Read more 🡒]