The Buffalo Sabres may not have to wait long to sort out the vacancy left by Bowen Byram.
Louis Crevier’s offseason shoulder surgery has already shifted the conversation at training camp, giving Olen Zellweger a clear early opening in the battle for a spot on the blue line. With camp and preseason shortened, Buffalo does not have much time to sort through the options, and the first look could matter a lot.
Crevier was brought in by Buffalo as part of the Bowen Byram trade with Chicago, but general manager Jarmo Kekalainen then swung a deal with the Anaheim Ducks for Zellweger. At that point, Zellweger was a restricted free agent, and the Sabres later locked him up on a new three-year contract.
The expectation was that the two would fight for the job beside Owen Power in the top four. Kekalainen confirmed before camp that Crevier had shoulder surgery over the offseason, though he should still be available when the regular season begins.
That leaves Zellweger with a major advantage right out of the gate. The next couple of weeks are especially important for new faces, and Zellweger will get the chance to skate in practice and preseason games, likely alongside Power. That kind of early work matters.
None of it guarantees the job. Zellweger is coming off a career high of 22 points, but that came over 76 games after he put up 20 points in 62 games during the 2024-25 season. He also faded late with Anaheim and was a healthy scratch in the playoffs, so he still has to show he can handle a bigger role.
Still, the fit is obvious. Zellweger’s skating, puck movement, and offensive ability line up well with what the Sabres want from their defensemen, and that gives him a real chance to turn this into a breakout season.
As for Crevier, the timeline remains murky beyond being ready for opening night. Buffalo could still give him a shot to win the job, but if that happens, it may not be until later in the season. For now, Zellweger was already the favorite entering camp, and Crevier’s injury update only strengthens his hold on the race to replace Bowen Byram on the Sabres’ blueline in the 2026-27 season.
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