The Buffalo Sabres are still fighting the same old scoring problem, but there’s at least one encouraging sign in net as they head into the week of Nov. 9-15, 2026.
The offense remains maddeningly uneven. Over three games this week, Buffalo put up seven goals, and five of those came in the 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov.
- Josh Norris scored twice in that game, and Josh Doan added one, a much-needed jolt for both players.
The other two outings told a very different story. The Sabres managed just one goal in a 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 4 in a big division game, then followed that with another one-goal effort in a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov.
- The pattern has become impossible to ignore.
Buffalo is now 21st in the NHL in goals per game at 2.94. For a roster with this much offensive talent, that kind of inconsistency stands out even more.
The Sabres have scored 50 goals as a team, with Tage Thompson accounting for 10 and Jack Quinn for nine. Take those two away, and the rest of the roster has 31 goals in 17 games.
That’s not enough, and it’s been a recurring issue.
There is, however, a better feeling around Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen lately. His season got off to a rough start, and there was plenty of noise about whether he should remain the Sabres’ starter and whether the team should pursue Connor Hellebuyck before he was dealt to the New Jersey Devils.
Since Hellebuyck was traded on Oct. 24, Luukkonen has settled in.
He’s 2-0-1 over that stretch with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. His last two starts have been especially sharp: a .931 save percentage in the 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings and a .923 mark in the 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets.
He opened the year with a goals saved above expected of negative-4.2, but that number has improved to negative-1. If this keeps up, Lindy Ruff won’t have much of a decision to make in goal.
Buffalo also has several injury situations worth watching. Matt Grzelyck, who has appeared in only the season opener, has not practiced since suffering a “lower-body flare-up” and has been on injured reserve since Oct. 13.
“He’s just kind of in a holding pattern,” Ruff said. “He hasn’t really improved, and we’re just waiting for some results, whether some of the work he’s doing makes him better, or he’s going to have to find another avenue with his injury.”
Konsta Helenius has been sidelined since absorbing a big hit from Jacob Trouba on Oct. 27 and is listed as week-to-week.
Alex Lyon has been out since Sept. 24 and had a setback in mid-October, but he returned to practice on Nov. 2 and is nearing game action, with the team taking a cautious approach.
Justin Danforth, who hasn’t played since Oct. 17, was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 29 and also returned to practice on Nov. 2.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets May Finally Be Seeing The Lindstrom They Drafted
Cayden Lindstroms sophomore season at Michigan State is starting to look a lot more like the kind of development the Blue Jackets had in mind when they made him their 2024 first-round pick. After a difficult freshman year and a long road back from back surgery in late 2024, the big forward has opened this season with noticeably better offensive touch, showing more efficiency around the net and a steadier impact on the Spartans attack.
For Columbus, the encouraging part is not just the scoring, but the trend behind it. Lindstrom has found the scoresheet in three straight games and already looks more comfortable driving play than he did a year ago, a meaningful sign for a prospect whose progress was slowed by injury and recovery. The Blue Jackets have been waiting to see whether the player they drafted would emerge, and early this season, he is beginning to answer. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Lose Conor Garland At A Brutal Time
The Blue Jackets are heading into their matchup with the Florida Panthers without Conor Garland, a notable absence for a group that could use every healthy forward it can get. Head coach Rick Bowness said Garland will miss the game because of an upper-body injury, and the timing is less than ideal for a team trying to keep its lineup intact while navigating a tough stretch.
Garland has been in the lineup this season, even if his offense has not matched the level he reached in previous years, so Columbus loses a player who still brings value beyond the scoresheet. Ryan Lomberg is expected to slide back into the mix, but the bigger question now is how long the Blue Jackets will have to manage without Garland and what the lineup will look like once they do. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Send A Clear Lineup Signal Before A Tough Winnipeg Test
The Blue Jackets are dealing with another lineup wrinkle as Conor Garland has been ruled out with an upper-body injury, adding to the uncertainty around a player who had been in line to help provide some stability up front. The injury leaves Columbus shorthanded at a time when every available body matters, especially with the schedule tightening and the team trying to keep its forward group intact.
There is still no clear return timeline for Garland, which makes the situation more than a one-game absence and leaves the Blue Jackets waiting for more clarity as they move through the week. Around the league, the injury ripple is already forcing other clubs to shuffle, with the Rangers and Devils making their own roster moves ahead of upcoming games, a reminder of how quickly one setback can change the look of a lineup. [Read more 🡒]