The Buffalo Sabres are heading into their 2026-27 training camp with a familiar kind of question hanging over the roster: how do they replace the offense that walked out the door with winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram?
That’s the biggest hurdle on the board, and Buffalo hasn’t exactly patched it by adding outside help to the forward group over the summer. Instead, the Sabres are banking on internal growth, with Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich all expected to take on bigger roles. The good news for Buffalo is that each of those first-round picks can handle both center and wing, giving Lindy Ruff some flexibility as he sorts out the lineup.
Ruff sounded like a coach already thinking several moves ahead when he discussed how the group might settle in. “You always plot it out.
Does it change during camp? It's possible, I would like to start (Tage) at center, but knowing that even in the playoffs, he ended up on the wing, and had a couple great nights," Ruff said.
"You go back to that four-month run; he was in the middle of the ice for us that whole time. I mean, inside some games, there were games where, Ostlund and (Ryan)McLeod stepped in and played center.
He played a little bit of wing, which will again happen for sure."
Thursday’s practice offered the first real glimpse of how Buffalo may line up when the season begins. Thompson worked at center between Peyton Krebs and Josh Doan, while Josh Norris skated with Helenius on the right side and McLeod on the left. Östlund was used in the middle with Zach Benson and Jack Quinn, and Kulich was on the left wing alongside Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn.
With the exhibition schedule shorter than usual, a lot of teams are treating these early combinations like dress rehearsals for opening night. Buffalo appears to be doing the same.
The Sabres are scheduled to practice again Friday before holding the Blue and Gold Scrimmage on Saturday morning at Key Bank Center.
In Other News...
Sabres' Goalie Search Just Got More Interesting Than Fans Realized
The Sabres offseason search for help in net apparently had a bigger name attached to it than most fans realized. On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman said Buffalo and the Florida Panthers both checked in on Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, with the Jets seeking a goalie back and signaling they were not interested in dealing him for future assets. Buffalos interest was part of a broader push that also saw offers built around draft picks and players, but nothing got across the line before training camp.
For the Sabres, its another reminder of how aggressive the front office has been trying to be at a position that can define a season. The conversation around Winnipeg did not stop with Buffalo and Florida, either, since Carolina has also been linked to a possible move involving Alexander Nikishin, though questions linger there as well. For now, the Hellebuyck thread is the one that stands out, because it suggests Buffalo at least explored a swing for a proven starter if the price and terms had lined up just right. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Goalie Picture Gets Tense As Luukkonen Addresses Trade Chatter
Trade talk always follows a goalie when a team starts sniffing around the market, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has found himself in that familiar spot with Buffalo this summer. His name has been pulled into speculation tied to the Sabres pursuit of Connor Hellebuyck, but Luukkonen said he is simply turning his attention toward the coming season and the role he has in front of him.
The wrinkle for Buffalo is that the crease already looks crowded. The Sabres are expected to carry three goalies, with Luukkonen and Alex Lyon likely splitting the bulk of the work while Colten Ellis remains in the mix. Even with the chatter surrounding his future, Luukkonens situation appears more about managing a tense depth chart than waiting on an imminent move. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Just Got A Familiar Rival That Much Tougher
The Sabres handled the Rangers well enough last season, winning two of the three meetings, but the backdrop around that rivalry is about to look different. New York is heading into 2026-27 with a roster that should be sturdier and harder to play against, especially on the back end, which matters for a Buffalo team that has to navigate the division grind and keep pace in a tighter race.
For the Sabres, the familiar edge of facing a familiar opponent is still there, but the matchup itself may not be as comfortable. Buffalo is still projected to come out ahead in the season series, yet the expectation is that it will take more work than it did a year ago, with the Rangers bringing more depth and more answers than they had before. [Read more 🡒]