Conor Timmins’ first season with the Buffalo Sabres was defined by a brutal break in timing. Acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Connor Clifton deal to help stabilize the third pair, he barely got a chance to settle in before a debilitating leg break sent him out for a long stretch. When he finally made it back, though, he looked exactly like the kind of defender Buffalo hoped it was getting.
Timmins filled the role the Sabres asked of him. Most of his minutes came on the third pair, with a little time in the top four when the lineup needed it.
His biggest impact came on the penalty kill, where he was frequently out there with Mattias Samuelsson on the first unit. Offensively, he wasn’t a major factor beyond eight assists and 44 shots in 39 games, but his value showed up in a different way.
He was a shot blocker through and through. Timmins finished with 81 blocked shots in just 39 appearances, good for fifth on the team.
Given a full season, he would have had a real shot at challenging - or even passing - Samuelsson’s team-leading 154. From the start, he showed a willingness to throw himself in front of pucks, and that commitment mattered even if it came at the cost of a big chunk of his season.
His usage never really shrank into a fringe role. Timmins averaged just under 19 minutes a night, got back into the lineup as soon as he was healthy, and stayed in his usual lane through all 13 playoff games. That consistency is reflected in the grades: Scoring - C, Defense - B+, Leadership - B, Playmaking - C, Teamwork - A.
That’s the type of defender Timmins is: the kind who makes a roster work a little cleaner. He doesn’t need to drive the conversation, just handle his job, keep things steady, and give the team more than expected when he can.
The question now is how long Buffalo keeps him around. Timmins is entering the final year of his two-year contract, and with a couple of high-end right-handed prospects possibly nearing NHL readiness in the next season or two, his future with the Sabres looks uncertain.
Lindy Ruff has also leaned toward Zach Metsa, who stepped in and became a very solid third-pairing option while Timmins was out last season. Timmins should still have a role in 2026-27, but after that, a move or a trip to free agency looks more likely.
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Sabres Linked To Veteran Scoring Help With One Catch
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Anaheim is also a factor in the equation, since the Ducks are looking to clear salary and could be open to moving veteran money if the return makes sense. For Buffalo, the intrigue is not just about whether the player can still score, but whether the contract structure makes him attainable without forcing the Sabres to overpay in assets or cap space. [Read more 🡒]