The Buffalo Sabres are heading into 2026-27 with a very different kind of pressure than they’ve been used to. Fresh off their first division crown in nearly two decades, they now have to back it up, and a big part of that push will come down to three young forwards: Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, and Konsta Helenius.
Each one brings something different to the table, and each one could end up in a meaningful role. The real question is which of them is best positioned to make the biggest immediate dent when the season opens.
Kulich looks like the one with the clearest runway. He already has NHL experience under his belt, skating in 62 games in 2024-25 and spending 12 games last season as the team’s top center before a blood clot shut him down. The good news for Buffalo is that he has fully recovered and is set to return.
What makes Kulich so intriguing is the package he already showed: a dangerous one-on-one game, a heavy shot, and speed that forces defenders to react. The Sabres and Lindy Ruff trusted him enough to put him in that top-center role, and that says plenty about how they view his ceiling.
Still, coming back after that kind of layoff is never simple. Even if he starts right away in a prime spot, it may take a while before everything clicks.
Even so, he should be in the mix for his first 20-goal season.
Ostlund may have the strongest case for the biggest 2026-27 impact because of how he fits the lineup. When Kulich was out, Ostlund stepped in and played 60 regular-season games, producing 27 points before injuries interrupted his year. He returned for the first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, then got hurt again, but the flashes were obvious.
His game is built on effort and intelligence. He chases pucks, makes plays, and helps the players around him look better.
The concern has always been durability, and that issue has already shown up. Even so, he should open the season in the top six, and a line with Zach Benson and Josh Doan would be an interesting fit.
All three are puck hounds with sneaky offensive instincts, and that kind of setup could help Ostlund rack up assists and push toward 50 points.
Then there’s Helenius, who may be the most polished producer of the group even if his NHL résumé is still small. Over the past two seasons, he has been a standout for the Rochester Americans, and in 2025-26 he delivered a point per game across 63 AHL games. In the NHL, he has only nine regular-season games and four playoff games to his name, but he has already made those chances count.
He scored two important goals against the Montreal Canadiens and also buried the gold-medal-winning goal for Finland at the World Championships. That kind of timing is hard to ignore.
Helenius has shown a real knack for being in the right place, and his vision may be the best of the three. No matter the setting, he produces.
If his role settles in the right spot, a conservative projection would land him in the 30-40-point range with about 15-20 goals.
Buffalo is counting on all three young centers to help carry the load, and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has reason to feel at least somewhat encouraged by what he’s seen. They’ve all flashed poise and skill, and the lineup fit will matter a lot.
For now, Ostlund seems to have the edge to make the biggest immediate impact, especially if he gets time with Tage Thompson or Quinn and earns power-play minutes. That kind of usage could put him in position to challenge for one of the team’s top assist totals and maybe even push past the 50-point mark.
And while 2026-27 will be important, it’s also just the start. Kulich, Ostlund, and Helenius all look like long-term pieces for the Sabres, and Buffalo expects them to stay in the picture for a long time.
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