The Buffalo Sabres are coming off a season that changed the mood around the franchise in a big way. In 2025-26, they snapped a 14-season playoff drought, won the Atlantic Division for the first time in 15 seasons, finished with the third most points in franchise history, and came within one goal of reaching the Eastern Conference Final.
That kind of year naturally raises the bar. Now the question is whether it was a breakthrough or just a one-off. Buffalo’s offseason departures, especially Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, have given some people reason to think a step back is coming.
Bleacher Report landed on that side of the argument in a recent piece that listed the Sabres among four teams expected to be worse next season. Adam Gretz wrote:
"That is still a lot of talent leaving the organization, with nowhere near as much coming back in right now. Maybe it pays off down the line and makes a later version of this Sabres team better, but that doesn't help the current group that finally has a long‑frustrated fanbase believing again.
A lot of things went right on their push to the playoffs in 2025-26, and there is no guarantee that all happens again. Especially with less talent on the roster. It should be a legitimate concern, even if the young core still looks promising and the team itself is still good."
But that view seems to be underselling what Buffalo has coming behind the departures. The Sabres are not just leaning on one young player to fill the gaps. They have a wave of talent that should be ready for bigger roles, and that matters.
Up front, Konsta Helenius and Jiri Kulich are both in line for more responsibility, while Noah Ostlund, Zach Benson, and Josh Doan are all continuing to develop. That gives Buffalo more than one path to replace lost production.
The blue line also looks more stable than the regression talk suggests. The Sabres were one of the NHL’s best teams on defense because of their top four, and even with Byram gone, there’s a case to be made that the overall top six could still be better this season. Olen Zellweger is not Byram, but the gap may not be as wide as some are making it out to be.
There is also reason to think Buffalo’s third pair will be stronger, which matters after that spot became a problem down the stretch. Louis Crevier and Zach Metsa are battling for the job next to Conor Timmins.
Yes, there is always risk when a team swaps proven players for untested prospects. But Buffalo has spread that risk across multiple players instead of putting everything on one replacement. That gives the Sabres a better shot at holding their ground.
Connor Hellebuyck, but if this is the roster they are going into next season with, they shouldn't worry about regressing.
In Other News...
Sabres Hellebuyck Chase May Have Hit A Frustrating Wall
The Connor Hellebuyck pursuit has been one of the more intriguing Sabres storylines of the summer, but the path to a deal has not exactly gotten clearer. Martin Biron, who knows the Buffalo goaltending scene as well as anyone from his years in the crease and now on MSG broadcasts, recently noted that Winnipeg could be in a tough spot as trade discussions continue to hover around the Jets goalie and Buffalos search for stability in net.
The snag, as it has been framed, is the kind of draft-pick tug of war that can stall a big move even when both sides have interest. Buffalo and Winnipeg were reportedly close before the draft, but the ask from the Jets has been higher than the Sabres have been willing to meet, leaving the situation unresolved for now. With Hellebuycks recent performance, his long contract, and Buffalos own goaltending picture all part of the equation, this is one of those talks that can still break either way, but not without a lot more patience. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Still Have One Scoring Need That Free Agency Could Solve
The Sabres have spent the early part of free agency making only modest additions, and the bigger question around the roster still lingers in the same place it did before the market opened: where does the next wave of proven scoring come from? Buffalo has prospects on the way, but there is still a clear case for adding a winger who can help finish plays now, especially with an offense that could use more pop on the power play.
Among the names still available, Eeli Tolvanen, Anthony Mantha and Patrik Laine stand out as the kinds of bets that could fit different versions of the Sabres cap picture. Tolvanen offers a cheaper, shorter-term path with power-play value, Mantha brings the appeal of a bigger scoring track record, and Laine carries the kind of upside that can change a special teams unit if everything clicks. The challenge for Buffalo is finding the right balance between immediate help and long-term flexibility, because the need for another legitimate scorer has not gone away. [Read more 🡒]