The Sabres missed the playoffs for the 14th straight season in 2024-25. Their point total dropped for the second straight season while the team slid to seventh in the Atlantic Division. Despite the poor overall campaign, the team did have a few bright spots, but questions as to the true commitment of ownership continue.
Buffalo’s last playoffs appearance was in 2010-11 when the squad lost in conference quarterfinals to Philadelphia. You must go all the way to 2006-07 for the last time the team won a round in the post-season. Forgive the fanbase if frustration has set in.
Offensively, the Sabres have solid talent up front even with the trade of Peterka to Utah. His absence will be felt, but the two sides were unable to come terms on a long-term contract, which also reflects somewhat poorly on the organization. Thompson, who had an up-and-down season but came on late to tally 28 goals and 44 assists is playing to making the US Olympic Team after being left off the country’s 4 Nations squad. Tuch may be the team’s second best forward, as of now, setting career highs in 2022-23 with 36 goals and 79 points across 74 appearances. The seven-year deal he signed with Vegas in 2018 expires at the end of the season. We will get a good sense as to the team’s commitment to win if they are able ink Tuch.
The Sabres dealt Dylan Cozens to Ottawa for Josh Norris at the trade deadline. Norris has had an injury-plagued career, and the Senators certainly look like they won that deal. He may get a chance to skate on the top line with Benson and Thompson.
For Buffalo to take a step forward, several of the team’s young offensive players will show material growth. Zucker needs to be the type of veteran leader who shows the way to the younger players. Talent certainly exists but it has yet to coalesce.
The same can be said about the blueline and between the pipes. Rasmus Dahlin, the team’s captain, had his second-best offensive campaign with 68 points and was a plus-11. He is the leader on the blueline. Buffalo showed a material commitment to Samuelsson, inking him to a seven-year, $30 million contract extension in October of 2022. They need him to live up to that deal next to Dahlin.
Power was better known for his defense than offense his first two seasons. He showed he can produce from the blueline and should benefit playing next to Kesselring, who lengthens the right side. Power had career bests in goals, with seven, and assists, with 33, as the third-year defenseman ended up with 40 points in 79 outings.
Byrum had his first fully healthy season, racked up seven goals and 38 points over 82 games. Staying healthy obviously helped his production, which also included 117 blocked shots, 75 hits and a plus-11 rating. Despite those fine numbers, he signed to just a two-year, $12.5 million contract extension by the Sabres, putting his long-term prospects in question. Conor Timmins signed a two-year deal and will pair with Byrum.
Now for the goalies. UPL looked to be the future in 2023-24 and now is a major question. He took a massive step back in 2024-25 with a 24-24-5 record, a 3.20 GAA and an .887 save percentage over 55 games, ceding the No. 1 role at times to James Reimer. Lyon, who spent the last two seasons in Detroit, inked a two-year, $3 million contract with Buffalo on the first day of free agency. Levi, a seventh round in 2020, looked to be the future towards the end of the 2022-23 season. He failed to earn the job in 2023-24 and struggled in his brief stints last season, but was solid at AHL Rochester, going 25-13-4 with a 2.20 GAA and a .919 save percentage over 42 regular-season games.
Konsta Helenius, Buffalo’s first round pick last season, is one of the top-25 prospects in the game. The team added Radim Mrtka in this year’s draft, taking the future second-pairing shutdown defender with the ninth overall pick. Noah Ostlund and Isaak Rosen are the next two in the team’s pipeline.
Their best fantasy options will come from up front (Tage Thompson, Alex Tuck etc.), and the blue line (Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power). Goalie is a major question, though UPL has talent.
Prediction:
Buffalo did fine job this offseason taking care of their own by getting key RFAs such as Quinn, McLeod and Ryan Johnson signed to new deals. But they did little to nothing in free agency, meaning that the lineup is basically the same as last season. Offensively, they should be able to score while the addition of Kesselring boosts the Sabres' blue line on the right side.
As UPL and the blue line go so go the Sabres, If both units show improvement, Buffalo overall should be better, I expect some growth but expect the team to miss the playoffs for the 15th straight season. Seeds for the future are set this year,
All stats courtesy of naturalstattrick.com, moneypuck.com, hockeyviz.com, allthreezones.com, hockey-reference.com, eliteprospects.com unless otherwise noted.