Alex Tuch (James Guillory, USA TODAY Images)The Buffalo Sabres need a lot of things to go right for them to be a Stanley Cup playoff team this coming season. They need their goalies to pan out with strong performances. They need star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin to put on a defensive clinic and carrry Buffalo to a strong defensive game. And one thing could also be the difference between the Sabres missing or making the 2026 playoffs -- namely, the play of Buffalo's second line of forwards: center Ryan McLeod, and wingers Alex Tuch and Jason Zucker.
To be sure, we're taking for granted top-line center Josh Norris stays healthy, and wingers Tage Thompson and Zach Benson come through with growth to their game and notable contributions. And we're also taking for granted the bottom-six Sabres forwards play a savvy defensive game with the occasional dose of offense.
That leaves Buffalo's most experienced line to help lead the way. While 26-year-old McLeod is the youngster of the second-line trio, McLeod has also played nearly 300 regular-season games, and he's received a healthy raise this season that elevates expectation for him. McLeod generated career-bests in goals (20), assists (33) and points (53) last season, but now that he's making $5-million per season, those numbers need to be starting points this year.
Meanwhile, on the wings of the second line, you've got two of Buffalo's older players, including the 33-year-old Zucker -- the Sabres' oldest player -- and Tuch, who'll turn 30 next May. On a Sabres team that has more than its share of 20-to-25-year-old players, Tuch and Zucker are key veteran presences who need to help shepherd this group into greener pastures.
Tuch has particular motivation to succeed this season, as he's a UFA next summer. His next contract may prove to be Tuch's last, best deal, so setting himself up to have great negotiating leverage next summer is something that will be a focus for him.
As for Zucker, he's under contract this year and in 2026-27. Like Tuch, Zucker has a modified no-trade clause, but one that only allows both players to veto trades to five teams of their choice. And if the second line is thriving, yet Buffalo is well out of a playoff position, you could see one or both of Tuch and Zucker traded by or before this year's trade deadline.
So, you can understand why a lot is on the line for the Sabres' second line this season. Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams is staking his own job security on the group he's put together, and that means he needs his leaders on the team to play up to expectations and exceed them.
If that doesn't happen, more change will come -- to the second line, and everywhere else in the organization. And if Tuch, Zucker and McLeod can't come through as envisioned, Sabres management is going to envision other players inserted in their place.