Sabres Face Daunting Challenge to End Organizational Slide
New York Rangers (0-1-0) vs. Buffalo Sabres (0-0-0)
Puck Drop: 7:00 pm Eastern Time | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, N.Y.
TV: MSG, ESPN+
Know Your Opponent
New York Rangers
Record: 0-1-0 | 0 PTS
Last Game: 3-0 loss to Pittsburgh
Division Ranking: 5th in the Metro Division last year
PP: 17.6% (28th last season) Sabres 18.8% (24th last season)
PK: 80.3% (11th last season) Sabres 76.3% (23rd last season)
What to Watch
1 A New Hope
The Sabres wanted to be tougher to play against, a stickler point made all summer by the team, and I honestly think they are now. Michael Kesselring is an upgrade to the top four, and Shane Doan will add much-needed physicality, with some decent offense too. They did lose some major league talent, though, in forward JJ Peterka. Hopefully, the answer to replace his offensive output is spread throughout the roster. Josh Norris, Zach Benson, and Jack Quinn will be looked upon to really contribute this year.
Meanwhile, Buffalo’s veteran talent will need to put on their big boy pants and lead this club out from the muck once and for all. That’s YOU, Tage Thompson, and that’s YOU too, Alex Tuch. As Team Captain, of course, YOU are included as well, Rasmus Dahlin. But that list includes newer acquired talent and players not really looked upon to lead. Jason Zucker, Ryan McLeod, and Peyton Krebs, that means YOU too. Bo Byram, you miraculously signed that two year deal instead of forcing a Peterka move, so YOU are very much included in there. The younger talent needs to step up too and work with the vets. A cohesive unit is needed, they already have a nice blend of skills. Everything from scoring goals and forechecking to shot blocking and breakouts. This group needs to grow the F up and not tolerate anything less than 100 percent effort. If they establish a hard-working identity, the results will be there. Maybe not to the extent of the Edmonton Oilers or Florida Panthers. But the winning will come if the commitment is made.
Virtually every hockey writer, YouTuber, and NHL fan has written off the Buffalo Sabres again this year. Most pick them dead last in the Atlantic Division with a top 10 pick in the draft again. Even our own beaten-down fanbase doesn’t have the fresh hope of a new season. The perpetual gloom has lingered so long and so heavy, it is difficult to fathom for those of us who don’t live it daily. You, me, your friend, your father, we all carry the weight of the Sabres’ disappointment with us. But only the team itself can change its own fortunes. They have most of the pieces in place to succeed, but will they finally? The old thorns in the side still linger. Special teams struggles, goaltending issues, and past organizational ineptitude. A hard-working, dedicated group can mask some of those issues, even overcome them mostly. It’s long past time that a Buffalo Sabres team does that. They need to shake the Etch A Sketch of futility once and for all.
2 Rags to Riches?
After a monster year in 2023-24 with 55 wins and 114 points, the Rangers plummeted last season to just 85 points. A whopping 29-point drop that kept them out of the postseason. Most feel that New York can and will rebound to get back in the playoffs. They have the horses to get it done and a goaltender to back them in Igor Shesterkin. The 29-year-old has been one of the best in the business since he entered the league 6 years ago. The Blueshirts also have a star player in Artemi Panarin and a good supporting cast of forwards. Included among them are Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, and J.T. Miller. They also have Adam Fox back on D, who picks up points like a bully taking candy from a baby.
The Rangers should have a better showing this season. But will they sneak in with 90+ points or dominate like two years ago? Something in the middle is most likely. This is not your average non-playoff team. Buffalo will have their hands full right out of the gate, especially with their banged-up roster. Speaking of which, we now move on to your 2025-26 Buffalo Sabres.
3 M*A*S*H Unit
The Blue and Gold have had a rough go of it with their roster for about a month now. Alex Tuch, Jordan Greenway, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen all came into camp injured or not fully recovered. Then the floodgates opened even more. Between preseason games and just practicing, the Sabres at times lost a platoon of players. Included are/were Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, Owen Power, Bo Byram, Michael Kesselring, Mattias Samuelsson, and Noah Ostlund. Thankfully, most will be back in the lineup for opening night, but how effective will they be? Samuelsson and Benson come to mind, as they were just cleared. Tuch has not looked at full speed since he returned, and Byram might need a few more games to get back in his full rhythm. Kulich looks ready to go at least, but Buffalo’s big problem right now is on defense. Kesselring and Power, the Sabres’ middle-six pairing, are both out to start the year. At least we thought so. It seems Power has a chance to play after a full practice yesterday. I hope he is not rushed. If he needs more time, Lindy, please give it to him. Depending on the ever-changing updates, it might be a few games missed for Kesselring, or it might be a few weeks. Like the Sabres’ new defensemen, Jordan Greenway is also ruled out for opening night. Buffalo will miss his strong defensive game and muscle.
The Sabres have good depth at forward, though, they will be fine for now in that area. But losing 33.3 percent of your starting defensemen before the first regular-season game is a real kick in the teeth. It looks like Power will play after all, but he might be slowed out of the gate. Bo Byram and especially Mattias Samuelsson are just recently returning to the lineup, too. I doubt they are at full speed. A banged-up defensive unit with two new players and three recently returning from injury is not a recipe for success. They have been unable to play and practice together as a cohesive crew with all the confusion.
With Luukkonen out to start the year, what are we supposed to make of the goaltending for this team? UPL will have to wait before even attempting to rebound this season. Meanwhile, Alex Lyon will mostly man the crease. He will get the majority of the starts in Luukkonen’s absence. I don’t believe he will flounder at all, but I don’t expect miracles either. He just needs to keep the team afloat for now. Alexandar Georgiev remained in the mix until a few days ago. He was waived after some very uneven preseason play, and when an unexpected surprise became available. Buffalo claiming one of the top AHL goalies off waivers from the Blues a day earlier spelled Georgiev’s fate. Colten Ellis joins the club as further insurance and as seemingly the new backup. Buffalo has had their eye on him, and when he became available, Georgiev became expendable. I don’t believe Ellis can be moved to Rochester without going through waivers again. So he might be here just a few weeks until UPL recovers, or he could be a surprise solution down the road. We shall see how Buffalo handles the situation. Ellis has zero NHL experience but has played exceptionally in the minors. He also comes from a St. Louis organization that has been producing quality goaltending for the past several years. Stanley Cup winner Jordan Binnington and rising star Joel Hofer are examples. Through all of this, one thing seems apparent. The Sabres would like to keep Devon Levi down in Rochester for at least one more full year of development. He does not seem to be a part of this goaltending quagmire. Georgiev did clear and will join the Rochester Americans.
For better or worse, this is how the season will begin for Buffalo. They will need players to step up, and they will need to endure. They will need their leaders to lead and become something more…the clutch players that Sabres’ fans only see on other teams. And for once, just once, they will truly need to overcome the adversity.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Zach Benson – Josh Norris – Tage Thompson
Jason Zucker – Jiri Kulich – Alex Tuch
Jack Quinn – Ryan McLeod – Josh Doan
Beck Malenstyn – Peyton Krebs – Justin Danforth
(Tyson Kozak extra, Jordan Greenway is out)
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin – Bowen Byram
Owen Power? – Jacob Bryson
Mattias Samuelsson – Conor Timmins
( Ryan Johnson/Mason Geertsen extra, Michael Kesselring is out)
Goaltenders
Alex Lyon (expected), Colten Ellis
(Luukkonen is out)
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New York Rangers
Forwards
Will Cuylle – J.T. Miller – Mika Zibanejad
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trochek – Alexis Lafreniere
Conor Sheary – Noah Laba – Taylor Raddysh
Adam Edstrom– Sam Carrick – Matt Rempe
Defense
Vladislav Gavrikov – Adam Fox
Carson Soucy – Will Borgen
Urho Vaakanainen – Brandon Schneider
Goaltenders
Igor Shesterkin (expected), Jonathan Quick