The Buffalo Sabres have spent the offseason resisting the urge to force a splash, even with some real holes to fill after the departures of Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has stayed patient instead of chasing a big, expensive fix, and that leaves the conversation pointed squarely at the young forwards already in the system.
If Buffalo is going to replace that lost offense without swinging for the fences, the spotlight falls on three names: Jiri Kulich, Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund. Each brings something different, and each could shape the Sabres’ attack in 2026-27 in his own way.
Kulich has the clearest track record of the group. He played 62 games in 2024-25 and entered the 2025-26 season as the de facto top center.
Then a blood clot derailed everything, limiting him to just 12 games and raising concerns for some about his career. When he’s available, though, the tools jump off the page.
He has speed, one-on-one skill and a shot that can punish teams, and he’s not shy about driving to the net. Buffalo started him on the top line for a reason.
He may need time to rebuild his game after such a long absence, much like Jack Quinn did after his knee injury, but a 20-goal season still feels within reach.
Helenius might be the one with the highest ceiling. The 14th overall pick in 2024 turned heads as an 18-year-old with the Rochester Americans, then got a short nine-game look in the regular season.
He also made his presence felt in the playoffs, stepping in for four games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and scoring two important goals. Then he added another huge moment with a gold medal-winning goal at the World Championships for Finland.
He has the kind of offensive creativity that can change a game, and he always seems to end up in the right place. Depending on where he lands in the lineup, a climb into the 15-20-goal range with 35-40 points as a baseline would not be a shock.
Ostlund may be the most ready to make a real dent right away. He filled in for Kulich last season and played 60 regular-season games, producing 27 points.
After an injury interrupted his year, he returned for the first-round series against the Boston Bruins and made an immediate impact before getting hurt again and missing the rest of the playoffs. Even with his frame, he has already shown he can be effective.
He thinks the game well, helps his linemates and will go anywhere on the ice to win the puck back. His playmaking stands out, and the idea of him centering Zach Benson and Josh Doan is an enticing one.
If he stays healthy, 15 goals and 45 points would mark a strong step forward.
All three carry real upside, but the most immediate impact may belong to Ostlund. He looks like the best bet to slide into one of the top two center spots and put his passing ability to work. For 2026-27, that gives him the edge in this race, even in a deep group of Sabres forwards.
In Other News...
Sabres Suddenly Have One Contract Under More Pressure Than Ever
Buffalos long-term outlook looks a lot healthier than it did not all that long ago, and Dom Luszczyszyns latest salary-cap efficiency ranking only reinforces that. The Sabres have climbed to No. 7 on the list, a reflection of a young core that is giving the front office real value for its money and a financial picture that is starting to look more sustainable than shaky.
Still, not every deal in the system is sitting on equal footing. Beck Malenstyns six-year extension has already drawn scrutiny, and Owen Powers seven-year contract now feels like one of the more important storylines on the roster as he heads into a season that could go a long way toward defining how that investment is judged. With Bowen Byram gone, Power should see a bigger role on the offensive side of the puck, and Buffalo has a lot riding on whether that added responsibility turns into the kind of growth the Sabres have been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]
Dominik Hasek Just Reignited Buffalos Greatest Player Debate
Dominik Haseks place in Buffalo sports history has never really been in doubt, but a new all-time greats concept has put fresh fuel on the old question of where he fits in the Sabres pantheon. Hasek is already widely viewed as the greatest goaltender in NHL history and the most decorated player to wear a Buffalo sweater, a rsum built on a remarkable run of individual hardware and the kind of nightly impact that made the Sabres relevant on the leagues biggest stages.
What makes the debate linger is the gap between Haseks brilliance and the one thing that never came to Buffalo with him: a Stanley Cup. He later won two championships in Detroit, which only sharpens the contrast with his Sabres years, when he was carrying the franchise while the team came agonizingly close to hockeys ultimate prize. Even now, with Gilbert Perreault still looming in the franchise record book, Haseks legacy remains the standard by which every other Sabres great gets measured. [Read more 🡒]
Why This Sabres Rebuild Feels Different From All The Others
For much of the past decade, Buffalo has lived in the NHLs gray area, good enough to avoid the leagues worst conversations but not nearly consistent enough to stay in the playoff race. The Sabres have managed only one postseason appearance, one playoff series win and one 100-point season in that span, a familiar pattern for a franchise that has spent years trying to climb out of the middle.
What feels different now is the way the pieces are starting to line up at the same time. Buffalo has added a top-five draft pick, and a young group that includes Jack Quinn, Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich, Zach Benson, Konsta Helenius, Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power is beginning to look less like a future plan and more like a real core. The question is no longer whether the Sabres have talent on the way, but whether this is finally the stretch where all of it starts to matter in the standings. [Read more 🡒]