The Buffalo Sabres should have a clear edge when they line up against the Philadelphia Flyers this season, even if this matchup still carries the usual bite.
Philadelphia is coming off a step forward in its rebuild, finishing third in the Metropolitan Division last season and knocking off the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. But the Flyers remain a team in transition, and that matters when you stack them against a Sabres club that just took a major leap of its own.
Buffalo’s 2025-26 season was a strong one: the Sabres won the highly-competitive Atlantic Division in the regular season, beat the Boston Bruins in Round 1 of their Stanley Cup playoff series and then fell to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round. That kind of season changes expectations. Against a Flyers team still finding its footing, the standard should be simple.
The teams meet three times in 2026-27: October 21 in Buffalo, November 17 in Philadelphia and February 24 in Philadelphia. Last season, the Sabres won two of three against the Flyers, and there’s no real reason to expect them to do worse this time around.
Philadelphia did add goalie Woll from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and if he’s healthy - and that’s a very big ‘if’ - he can give the Flyers a chance most nights. Still, the Woll/Dan Vladar tandem has plenty to prove before anyone puts it among the league’s better goaltending pairs. They’ll need to show they can handle the grind, both mentally and physically, on a consistent basis.
Rick Tocchet also gives the Flyers a boost behind the bench, and his ability to motivate a group is part of the challenge here. So is the arrival of Acciari, who adds veteran grit and makes Philadelphia a little harder to play against.
Even so, this is still a young team trying to become something more. That’s why Buffalo should be expected to take at least two of the three games. The Sabres were once in that same spot, but they’ve already made the jump the Flyers are still chasing.
And if these teams do meet again in the playoffs next spring, the first two games of the season matter even more. Buffalo has a chance to set the tone early, and that starts with showing Philadelphia exactly how much ground it still has to cover.
In Other News...
Sabres Still Have A Connor Hellebuyck Decision They Can't Rush
The Connor Hellebuyck situation has turned into one of the more intriguing goalie stories to watch from a Sabres perspective, even if it is still very much in the waiting stage. Winnipeg has publicly heard his trade request, but the Jets have not moved him, and Buffalo is among the teams monitoring the possibility along with San Jose and Utah. For the Sabres, any opening of that caliber naturally invites attention, especially with a player of Hellebuycks profile suddenly sitting in limbo.
Still, Buffalo cannot treat this like a simple fit-and-finish move. The Jets have not yet received an offer they view as strong enough, with age, recent performance, playoff concerns and salary all part of the hesitation around the market. On Buffalos side, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonens limited no-trade clause and Jarmo Kekalainens confidence in the current goalie trio only add to the complexity, which is why this is the kind of situation the Sabres can track closely without rushing into anything. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Put Jiri Kulich In A Spot That Could Change Everything
The Sabres are using the preseason to test more than just their lineup, and Jiri Kulich is at the center of that evaluation. Buffalo plans to move him around in multiple spots, a sign the coaching staff wants to see how far his versatility can go before the games start to count. Lindy Ruff has already spoken positively about the way Kulich has handled that expanded look, which makes this week a little more than a routine exhibition stop.
One of the most interesting wrinkles comes against the Detroit Red Wings, where Kulich is slated to get a chance to work with Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund. It is the kind of look that can tell the Sabres a lot about where he fits long term, especially if the chemistry shows up quickly. The same game also gives Buffalo another first-time checkpoint, with defenseman Gavin McCarthy set to make his NHL preseason debut as the club continues sorting through younger pieces and where they belong. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Suddenly Have A Big Top Pair Decision Before Opening Night
The Sabres came out of their recent game with more than just bumps and bruises, and the immediate concern is on the blue line. Olen Zellweger is recovering from a concussion and said he is feeling better, while Mattias Samuelsson also exited with a lower-body injury, leaving Buffalo to sort through its defensive depth with opening night approaching.
Lindy Ruff is already weighing different pairings to cover the losses, and the ripple effect could reshape the top end of the defense if Samuelsson is sidelined for any stretch. With Rasmus Dahlin entrenched on the first pair, Buffalo suddenly has a real early test in deciding who best fits next to him while the lineup waits for answers on how long the injuries will linger. [Read more 🡒]