The Buffalo Sabres got back to the playoffs in 2026 for the first time in what felt like several generations, and now the real question is whether that run was a one-off or the start of something bigger. Based on the way this roster is built, there’s a strong case that Buffalo isn’t done yet.
Even with Alex Tuch heading out in a sign-and-trade, the Sabres have given themselves a real shot to stay in the mix. There are skeptics, sure, but the ingredients are there for another postseason push - and even a run at the Atlantic Division again.
The backbone of that case starts on the blue line. Buffalo still has one of the NHL’s best defensive groups, and the biggest shakeup came through the Bowen Byram trade, a move that doubled as one of the more impressive balancing acts by an NHL general manager this season. The return of Louis Crevier, a big puck-moving defender, only made it better.
Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson give the Sabres an elite top three. Behind them, Crevier and the newly acquired Olen Zellweger will battle for second-pairing minutes, while Conor Timmins and Zach Metsa look like the leading candidates for the bottom pair.
That group gives Buffalo a lot of what it wants: smooth-skating defensemen who can move the puck and keep the game flowing. Crevier adds size, and a healthy Timmins should help on the penalty kill. On paper, it’s a defense that can stack up with just about anyone.
The forward group also has more depth than the Tuch departure might suggest. Losing his 33 goals stings, but the Sabres still have enough across all four lines to keep the offense humming. There’s still time to add a free agent, though even if they stand pat, the structure is there.
Jiri Kulich is back healthy. Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund have both shown flashes and look ready for bigger roles. All three should produce more than they have so far, and they join a core led by Tage Thompson.
Buffalo may not have the kind of super-duper-star some other teams lean on, but it does have plenty of offensive talent. The Sabres have already shown they can score at five-on-five, and with so many young players on the rise, there’s real upside if several of them take another step.
Then there’s the goalie situation, which gives Buffalo a built-in cushion against the kind of year-to-year swing that can wreck a season. Goaltending is notoriously hard to repeat, and the Sabres know that better than most. That’s why carrying three goalies matters.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis all played above board in 2025-26, and that was a huge part of the team’s success. It would be normal for one of them to slip a bit.
It would be a lot harder to bet on all three doing it at once. Buffalo has set itself up to survive a dip from one, maybe even two, of them.
General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen could always alter the picture by going after superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but even without that kind of swing, the Sabres have already built in protection.
And the motivation should be obvious. After ending the drought in 2025-26, nobody in that room wants the season to feel like a fluke. The pressure is only going to rise in 2026-27, and with so many young players trying to level up, Buffalo has a real chance to prove the first playoff trip was no accident.
In Other News...
Sabres Suddenly Have A Serious New Threat In Their Goalie Pursuit
The goalie market around Connor Hellebuyck keeps getting more complicated, and that matters for a Sabres team that has every reason to watch it closely. Reports now suggest San Jose is pushing into the conversation as a possible landing spot for the Winnipeg netminder, and the Sharks have added a familiar piece in Eric Comrie, Hellebuycks former backup in Winnipeg, which could make their pitch a little easier to sell.
For Buffalo, the bigger takeaway is that the list of serious suitors may be widening just as the expectation grows that Hellebuyck will indeed be moved. The timing and destination remain unclear, but the Sharks involvement adds another layer to a pursuit that could shape the market for every team looking for help in goal, including the Sabres. [Read more 🡒]
Can Zach Benson Really Fill The Void Buffalo Just Created
Buffalos long-awaited playoff breakthrough last season changed the conversation around the roster, and Zach Benson was right in the middle of it. After signing his extension, the young winger kept building on a strong 2025-26 campaign in which he showed real play-driving ability and steady offensive growth, making himself look less like a promising piece and more like someone the Sabres can trust in bigger moments.
Now the challenge is different. With Alex Tuch gone, Buffalo has a clear opening for someone to absorb more of the scoring burden, and Benson is one of the players most likely to see his role expand. The Sabres already know he can help tilt the ice in their favor, but the next step is whether he can turn that into the kind of production that helps replace what just walked out the door. [Read more 🡒]
Why Sabres Fans Are Suddenly Watching This Late Round Winger
Dylan Dumont is the kind of late-round pick that can quietly start to matter if the development keeps trending the right way. The 17-year-old winger, taken by the Sabres in the sixth round of the 2026 NHL Draft, turned heads last season with the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL by showing real growth in his own end while still bringing the offensive skill that made him interesting in the first place.
Drummondville coach Sylvain Favreau saw enough improvement from Dumont to believe the foundation is there, but the next steps are still significant. Dumont is expected to spend another season in the QMJHL before possibly moving on to college hockey, and Buffalo is looking at a long runway here rather than an immediate solution, with his NHL path still several years away. [Read more 🡒]