Daxon Rudolph wasted no time showing why the Buffalo Sabres spent the fourth overall pick on him in the 2026 NHL Draft.
In his NCAA debut Friday night for the University of Denver, Rudolph scored the first goal of the season for the Pioneers and added an assist in a 6-2 win over Alaska Anchorage. The defenseman, still a few seasons away from the NHL, gave Buffalo exactly the kind of early offensive burst they were hoping to see when they took him in the Top 5.
The goal came the way the Sabres want Rudolph to play: he trailed the action, jumped into the offensive zone, and got his shot on net without hesitation. That play opened the scoring for Denver and served as a clean snapshot of why his game has drawn so much attention.
Welcome to @NCAAIceHockey, Daxon Rudolph! #GoPios pic.twitter.com/gqfs15jmvk
- Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) October 3, 2026
Rudolph’s offensive profile has been part of the pitch all along. He put up 78 points last season in the WHL, scoring 28 goals and setting up 50 more, after posting 41 points in 64 games as a rookie in the league.
Buffalo’s long-term picture on the blue line is getting crowded in a hurry, too. The Sabres have already secured Olen Zellweger and Louis Crevier with new deals after acquiring both this offseason, giving them five defensemen under contract for at least the next three seasons.
Radim Mrtka, last year’s Top 10 pick, is also in the AHL and could be ready to make the jump to the NHL as soon as next season.
That kind of depth is a nice problem to have, but it also creates real decisions down the line. One possible route would be to use some of that defensemen stockpile in trades to upgrade the NHL roster, with Mrtka the most likely name to surface in those conversations.
For now, Rudolph’s debut is just that - one game. The Sabres aren’t going to make any decisions based on a single night in college. Still, if he keeps producing like this, it’s the kind of performance that will stay on the radar for Buffalo’s front office.
In Other News...
Sabres Got The Win But Two Early Concerns Arent Going Away
The Sabres opened their home schedule with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, but the night still left a few familiar questions hanging around. It was a notable first look for Olen Zellweger in a Buffalo sweater and a welcome return for Jordan Greenway, while Jiri Kulich supplied the finishing touch in a game that gave the building something to feel good about.
Even with the two points banked, the performance in net was hard to ignore, as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a rough outing and Buffalos power play never really found a rhythm. Those are the kinds of issues that can get pushed aside after a win in October, but they tend to resurface quickly if they keep showing up. [Read more 🡒]
Jiri Kulich Just Delivered The Sabres Moment Fans Were Waiting For
Jiri Kulichs return to the Sabres has already carried more weight than a simple roster move, but Friday night gave it a moment fans could feel. In Buffalos 4-3 comeback win over the Blackhawks, Kulich found the net for his first NHL goal in 343 days, a milestone that capped a long climb back into the lineup after a difficult absence and gave the Sabres another jolt in a game they needed to rally to win.
The finish also brought out the kind of praise that usually follows hard-earned progress, with coach Lindy Ruff and captain Rasmus Dahlin speaking to Kulichs mental strength and perseverance. Kulich credited teammates Tage Thompson and Owen Power for the assist on the play, a small reminder of how much this goal meant inside the room as much as it did on the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sabres Goalie Suddenly Has A Real Chance In Edmonton
Devon Levis start in Edmonton has gone from a depth-chart curiosity to something worth tracking for Buffalo fans who followed his exit. The former Sabres goalie picked up his second win for the Oilers with a strong outing against Seattle, and his path to this point has already changed since the season began. He opened as a backup, but Edmonton turned to him for a starting opportunity after its loss in the opener, giving him a chance to show he can handle more than spot duty.
For a player who arrived with some uncertainty around his role, the immediate challenge is no longer just getting into games but proving he belongs there for a stretch. Levis early work has put him in a position the Oilers did not necessarily expect this soon, while former Sabres teammates such as Jordan Greenway and Connor Clifton also continue to surface in their own games around the league. For Buffalo, it is another reminder that a familiar name can still matter somewhere else, even if the next step in Edmonton is still playing out. [Read more 🡒]