Lindy Ruff isn’t interested in easing into anything. Not with the season opener on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and not with a Sabres team that needs to prove last year’s breakthrough was more than a hot streak.
Ruff made that clear when he laid out the standard for his group heading into the first game of an 84-game, seven-month grind.
"Be ready to outwork and outskate the opposition in Game 1," the longtime NHL coach told reporters. "Play our game better than they're going to play their game. But don't take any shift for granted."
That message fits the way Buffalo has stumbled out of the gate in recent years. The Sabres have dropped their last three season openers by a combined 13-2, including a 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers last year.
"I think we've had a chance, couple nights to look around the league to see what's going on," Ruff said. "I think there's been some erratic play.
I'm hoping our group is ready. We gotta put the work in, use our speed and be ready to go."
He added later: "You gotta believe in how we need to play."
Buffalo enters this season trying to follow up a 50-23-9 run and an Atlantic Division title, results that came after Ruff got the roster to commit to a more consistent system. That change helped unlock the club’s up-tempo style and gave its defensemen a bigger role in driving play.
The question now is whether the Sabres can do it again.
That task got a little harder over the summer with the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram. Buffalo didn’t make a splashy outside move to replace them, choosing instead to count on internal growth from younger players. That puts even more on Ruff, especially early, as he tries to sort out the right combinations in a crowded Eastern Conference.
One of the biggest developments before puck drop was Buffalo’s agreement with Louis Crevier on a four-year, $16 million contract extension.
Crevier came over from the Chicago Blackhawks in the blockbuster Byram trade and turned heads in training camp. Ruff sees him as a high-upside third-pairing defenseman who can move up the lineup when injuries hit.
"We watched him in the games, he's moved the puck well, skated well," Ruff said. "I think there was a little concern coming off the [shoulder] surgery this summer but everything looks great. I think he's gonna be a great fit for our hockey club."
Crevier skated at times with captain Rasmus Dahlin on the top pair while Mattias Samuelsson was out injured. Samuelsson should be available against Columbus, but Olen Zellweger and Conor Timmins remain sidelined.
Now the 6-foot-8 Canadian is expected to slot in beside Owen Power on the second pair, where he’ll handle the defensive work around the crease and free Power up to push the offense. The Sabres’ front office, led by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, didn’t wait long to reward him, handing out the extension before he’s played a regular-season game for the team.
That kind of commitment says plenty about the impression Crevier has already made. He’s still a work in progress six years after Chicago drafted him in the seventh round in 2020, but Buffalo clearly believes the upside is worth the bet.
Daxon Rudolph and Radim Mrtka are on the way.
In Other News...
Sabres Just Sent A Big Message About Their Blue Line Plans
The Sabres have already made one of their clearest statements of the offseason on the blue line, locking up defenseman Louis Crevier before he has even played a regular-season game in Buffalo. Crevier arrived from Chicago in the trade that sent Bowen Byram and the No. 4 pick the other way, and the early extension suggests the Sabres are not treating him as a depth add. They are counting on him to be part of the long-term picture after he had 134 NHL games and 32 points with the Blackhawks.
What makes the move especially notable is the timing, with Buffalo committing so quickly to a player who is still new to the organization. Crevier is expected to step into a prominent role right away, and the extension only sharpens the sense that the Sabres see him as more than a stopgap on the back end. The bigger question now is how far the team is willing to go in reshaping its defense around that belief. [Read more 🡒]
Why Sabres Fans Should Believe Konsta Helenius Is Built For This
Konsta Helenius has already shown the kind of poise that tends to matter most when the games get bigger and the spotlight gets hotter. The Sabres rookie forward has carried himself with a confidence that has stood out at every stop, from his time in the AHL and Finnish Liiga to the league stage in Buffalo, where he made a strong impression in the playoffs.
For Sabres fans, the appeal is not just upside, but evidence. Helenius has a track record of rising to the moment and handling pressure without looking overwhelmed, which is why his success in Finland and his growth in North America feel connected rather than accidental. The next question is how far that edge can take him once the expectations in Buffalo start to grow. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Prospects Already Have A Clear Path If Roster Opens Up
With training camp wrapped and most of the roster spots already spoken for, the Sabres are in the familiar place of trying to balance present-day competition with a longer view of who might be ready when openings finally appear. For now, the door is mostly shut for prospects, but the organization still has a handful of names worth keeping close on the radar because injuries and lineup churn have a way of changing the picture fast.
Among the players who could be in the mix down the line, the Sabres are watching a small group who may have a clearer path if the roster loosens up during the 2026-27 season. There is also a college route that could create a late-season possibility, even if it is not the most likely outcome, which only adds to the sense that Buffalo's next wave may be closer than it looks right now. [Read more 🡒]