The Buffalo Sabres are coming off a strong 2025-26 season, and the next jump could depend on a few younger players taking real steps forward in 2026-27. The top names will still have to carry the load, but the Sabres’ ceiling gets a lot higher if some of the rising talent starts producing like core pieces.
Konsta Helenius is one player who fits that profile. The 2024 first-round pick made a solid first impression in his first taste of NHL action, putting up one goal and four points in nine career games.
He also chipped in two goals in four playoff games for Buffalo and finished with 63 points in 63 AHL games for the Rochester Americans. That kind of all-around showing gives the Sabres plenty to like as he heads into next season.
Noah Ostlund also looks ready for another leap. He already showed he belongs, finishing with 11 goals and 27 points in 60 games for Buffalo last season.
The 2022 first-round pick took a clear step forward, and there’s reason to think more offense could be coming. A 20-goal, 45-point season would not be out of the question.
On the blue line, Olen Zellweger is another name worth watching after joining Buffalo. The 22-year-old defenseman arrives with some early-career promise and a chance for a fresh start.
He should see more consistent ice time with the Sabres than he did with the Anaheim Ducks, where he played 76 games last season and recorded seven goals and 22 points. If that opportunity translates, he could be one of Buffalo’s most interesting breakout candidates.
In Other News...
Sabres May Finally Have An Answer In The Hellebuyck Chase
Ryan McLeod has quietly become one of the more interesting names in Buffalos ongoing search for a difference-making goalie. The Sabres have spent plenty of time trying to sort out their forward depth, and McLeods recent growth has only made him more appealing as a possible piece in any bigger conversation. His past connection with Jets forward Cole Perfetti adds another layer to why Winnipeg could view him favorably, especially if the Sabres ever get serious about chasing Connor Hellebuyck.
For now, though, this remains more of a fit than a finished deal. Buffalo has other young forwards who could enter the discussion, including Konsta Helenius, Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Jack Quinn and Peyton Krebs, but the exact shape of any potential package is still unclear. McLeods value has risen enough to make him a logical talking point, yet the Sabres are still in the speculative stage, waiting to see whether this chase ever turns into something concrete. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Goalie Chase Just Took A Twist Fans Wont Ignore
The Jets took one bit of uncertainty off the board by agreeing to a five-year deal with Cole Perfetti, sidestepping arbitration and keeping one of their young core pieces in place. For Buffalo, though, the bigger storyline still sits in the background: Winnipegs long-running speculation around Connor Hellebuyck, a name that has hovered over the Sabres goalie search and kept trade chatter alive around the league.
Ryan McLeod has surfaced as a logical piece in any return package, which makes the conversation around Buffalo even more interesting given the other names that have been floated. Jack Quinn and Peyton Krebs have also been mentioned as possible components, but the market still feels fluid, and the Sabres are waiting to see how far Winnipeg is willing to go before the real shape of a deal comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Why Sabres Fans Are Suddenly Talking Themselves Into Louis Crevier
Louis Crevier is the kind of defenseman Sabres fans can talk themselves into pretty quickly. After coming over in the deal involving Bowen Byram, the 25-year-old arrived with a season in Chicago that hinted at real growth, the sort of step forward that makes a player look less like a throw-in and more like a piece with a future. He set career highs across the board with the Blackhawks, and for a Buffalo blue line that always has room for more size and stability, that matters.
The appeal starts with the physical profile. At 6-foot-8, Crevier already stands out before he takes a shift, and he backed that up with a heavier, more complete season that showed he can contribute at both ends and play with bite. The Sabres are still sorting out what their long-term top four looks like, but Crevier has at least given the fan base a reason to wonder whether he can grow into that conversation sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]