The Sabres' decision to trade this forward has undoubtedly paid off.
The Buffalo Sabres took a massive step in the right direction this season, as evidenced by them winning the Atlantic Division. There are many reasons behind the Sabres' fantastic turnaround, and forward Josh Doan was certainly one of them.
The Sabres acquired Doan this past offseason in the deal that sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. This was after Doan had seven goals and 19 points in 51 games for Utah during the 2024-25 season.
While Doan had a quiet year offensively this past season, there is no question that he stepped up in a major way during his first campaign as a Sabre. In 82 games this season with the Sabres, he set new career highs with 25 goals, 27 assists, and 52 points. With numbers like these, he has cemented himself as a big part of the Sabres' roster.
The Sabres rewarded Doan for his big season, too, as they signed him to a seven-year, $46.65 million contract extension back in late January. It is not difficult to understand why they did, as he has been excellent since his arrival in Buffalo.
With all of this, it is clear that Doan has been a big reason for the Sabres finally taking that next step and getting back in the playoffs. Doan also ended up having a better year than Peterka. This is because Peterka had just 46 points in 81 games during his first season in Utah.