Browsing: Sabres

MONTREAL — A sequence of saves from Jakub Dobes, when his Montreal Canadiens needed it most, as they were killing a penalty after losing all the momentum theyâ€d built up through the first 25 minutes of play against the Buffalo Sabres: first on a Tage Thompson breakaway, then on a sharp-angle shot from Rasmus Dahlin, then with his paddle down to break up a two-on-one, and finally with his skate to stifle a jam play from Peyton Krebs.

The 24-year-old made 30 stops on Monday, but those four were most timely.

Without them, the Canadiens wouldnâ€t have beaten the Sabres 4-2 to complete a 3-1-0 Bell-Centre stand that improved their record to 5-2-0 on the season.

They stacked up a bunch of small plays that proved big in the end. There was Alex Carrierâ€s first-period stand at the offensive blue line, where he took a hit, held his position, stepped on the puck to freeze it — as three Sabres attacked him — before kicking it over to Alex Newhook, who sprung Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen on the break that led to Montrealâ€s first goal. And there were all the ones Jake Evans, Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher made to get the Canadiens back to their game before Evans scored an empty-net goal captain Nick Suzukiâ€s desperate shot block created.

Lane Hutson, who scored what proved to be the winning goal earlier praised Carrier for his intelligence on Kapanenâ€s goal.

And then Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said this about Evans, Anderson and Gallagher: “Jakeyâ€s line, to me, is a momentum line. I thought they spent a lot of time in the offensive zone. It didnâ€t start from pretty plays through the neutral zone, and we need that. Especially at home, when you have matchups, and you can have a line that can play against other guys†top line and also bring momentum… I feel like their simplicity helps my matchup.â€

St. Louis wasnâ€t asked about Dobes, but heâ€d have acknowledged the goaltenderâ€s simple efficiency as a major factor in this win.

Dobes wasnâ€t exactly the same Dobes we saw shoot out to a 5-0-0 start to his NHL career last season. That guy was electric, he was all over his crease, he was scrambling to make both the easy and hard saves look hard and demonstrating a level of desperation that quickly endeared him to his teammates.

The guy we saw on Monday was better. And he coupled his built-in combativeness with some technical proficiency to steady the Canadiens right as they were losing the plot.

“I feel like I like a lot of things that weâ€ve worked on,†Dobes said. “I feel like Iâ€m really compact this season, and I donâ€t open up as much as I used to in the past. I feel like the technical thing, maybe you guys donâ€t see it, but I feel like Iâ€m way better than last year. Last year, I felt like I was a little bit scrambly, but this year I feel like Iâ€m more compact and subtle and just feel a little bit better than last year for sure.â€

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His confidence is swelling at the right time, and itâ€s keeping the Canadiens rolling and offering starter Samuel Montembeault time to redeem some of his own confidence.

Itâ€s been rocked a bit by a slow start to the season, with Montembeault allowing 13 goals through four starts and failing to make the timely saves the Canadiens have needed in their only two losses.

Prior to Mondayâ€s game, St. Louis said Dobes deserved to start.

Following Mondayâ€s game, itâ€s easy to conclude Dobes deserves to start more. Heâ€s 3-0-0 and sporting a .939 save percentage after allowing only five goals on 82 shots, and that was after he didnâ€t allow a single goal in the pre-season. Riding the hot hand while allowing Montembeaultâ€s to warm back up seems logical.

Stimulating competition between both goaltenders does, too, and St. Louis said earlier in the day he was for it.

“I think itâ€s a competitive league,†the coach said. “Youâ€re always going to have internal competition… We feel comfortable with both goalies, but youâ€re always going to have that internal competition, no matter what position you play. Players want more.â€

And St. Louis needs his players pushing for more.

Dobes did it from post-to-post on Monday, and heâ€ll need to keep that up. Especially with a compressed schedule that wouldâ€ve already forced the Canadiens to rely on him more than they did last season.

Down the stretch, they relied almost exclusively on Montembeault.

The Becancour, Que., native ended up appearing in 62 regular-season games before tearing his groin in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thereâ€s a need to manage Montembeaultâ€s minutes more this season, and Dobes is enabling them to do it.

“We have 82 games, we have two good goalies,†said St. Louis. “Will both be on top of their game all year? No, so you manage it. You manage their workloads and their performance.

“Thatâ€s what weâ€re doing.â€

It would be a lot harder right now if Dobes wasnâ€t stepping up to the task.

But the Ostrava, Cze., native did that on Monday, and heâ€s earning trust he can be used more regularly.

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Lane Hutsonâ€s first goal of the season, scored at 11:38 of the third period, proved to be the winner as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 at the Bell Centre on Tuesday.

Oliver Kapanen opened the scoring for Montreal (5-2-0) with his fourth goal of the season after a rush from Ivan Demidov. Kapanen leads all NHL rookies in goals, while Demidov is tied for the rookie points lead.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Jake Evans also scored for Montreal, while Alex Newhook and Nick Suzuki each had two assists. Jakub Dobes made 29 saves for the Canadiens, including 13 in the third period.

Jiri Kulich and Tyler Kozak scored for the Sabres (2-4-0), who lost for the first time in three games. The Sabres pulled their goaltender with over two minutes remaining. Alex Lyon made 27 saves.

Both teams went 0-1 on the power play.

Sabres: Zach Benson assisted on Kulichâ€s goal and now has six assists in three games after an injury kept him out to start the season.

Canadiens: With Kapanen and Demidov combining on the first goal of the game, the Canadiens lead all NHL teams with nine points from rookies this season.

After Montrealâ€s first power play of the game, Dobes made two big saves on Tage Thompson and Benson. Less than a minute later, Hutson scored the eventual winner to make it 3-1.

With his goal, Hutson has nine points in five career games against the Sabres.

Sabres: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.

Canadiens: Visit the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

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Brad Marchand will have to take some money out of his rainy-day funds after a fight Saturday night.

The Florida Panthers forward has been fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after a scuffle with Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin, the NHL’s department of player safety announced Sunday.

Things initially got heated between the two when Dahlin checked Marchand from behind midway through the second period, much to the chagrin of the 37-year-old. The two made contact again moments later, which led to Dahlin falling onto the ice before Marchand pounced on the Swedish D-man to throw some punches.

Though it wasn’t specified what part of the brawl prompted the fine from the league, Marchand did take the fight an extra step, skating away with Dahlin’s helmet after referees stepped in to stop the action.

As he was being escorted to the penalty box (two minutes for interference and two for roughing), Marchand was seen holding onto a blue Sabres helmet.

He kept hold of it all the way into the sin bin, where he ripped the straps off the helmet before chucking it back onto the ice. Dahlin, who was not penalized on the play, was seen shaking his head and making comments in the direction of Marchand following those antics, but nothing more came from the incident.

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The Friday Four is a collection of thoughts and information on some intriguing storylines from around the NHL. On deck this week:

· The Buffalo Sabres need to create an environment where players want to be

That sound you hear is the city of Buffalo collectively exhaling.

Iâ€m not sure any team in the history of hockey has been under more pressure in Game 4 of 82 to have a strong showing than the Sabres were on Wednesday night. Buffalo responded with an 8-4 thrashing of the Ottawa Senators, with every goal feeling more and more like a cathartic experience for a team letting out its frustrations.

Things werenâ€t supposed to get this bad this quickly. The Sabres lost their first three games and it took them five-and-a-half-periods to score a goal. It wasnâ€t so much the results, as much as it was the optics. Buffalo looked overmatched and listless at times, which is inexcusable for a team that desperately needed a good start. It would be easy to say donâ€t panic after only a few games but when youâ€ve missed the playoffs for 14 straight years, you no longer get the benefit of the doubt.

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Sabres fans are getting tired of watching it and the players are getting tired of hearing about it. Forward Tage Thompson voiced his displeasure at Buffaloâ€s start following a loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, while also preaching thereâ€s plenty of time left to figure things out. “We have a long season to go,†Thompson said. “You guys are acting like the world is ending right now. We just have to find a way to claw ourselves out of this. Weâ€re obviously in a hole we donâ€t want to be in and we have to find our way out of it.â€

Rasmus Dahlin shared a similar sentiment: “This is not acceptable. Itâ€s not good enough.”

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams should be just as concerned with the comments of his top players as he is about Buffaloâ€s slow start. The organization has had its challenges to say the least when it comes to keeping high-end talent and you could put together the core of a solid team from all the players that have left the Sabres in the past six or seven years. Ryan Oâ€Reilly was dealt in the summer of 2018 and lifted the Conn Smythe Trophy a year later. Then came 2021, a year that saw a trio of talented players make their exit from Western New York. Linus Ullmark left in free agency in the summer and went on to win a Vezina in 2023. Sam Reinhart was traded and has gone on to win a pair of Cups while developing into one of the top scorers in the league. Then Jack Eichel was shipped to Vegas later that year and heâ€s now arguably one of the 10 best players in the NHL who also has his name on a Cup.

Not to mention Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, two young talented players that were traded in the past calendar year. The Cozens deal was a massive gamble centred around Josh Norris, a player with a ton of upside who has struggled to stay healthy. That gamble has yet to pay off, as Norris is already going to miss a substantial amount of time with an early-season injury. The jury is still out on the Peterka deal as Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan are two decent pieces the Sabres got in return, but itâ€s undeniable Peterka was the best player in the trade.

You could argue that a lot of those players wanted out and Buffalo had little choice but to move them, but at the end of the day itâ€s the organizationâ€s job to create an environment where players want to stick around. It has to be extra painful to watch all that talent thrive in other organizations when the Sabres couldnâ€t make it work in Buffalo.

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If the Sabres have another rough season, itâ€s fair to ask how long players like Thompson, Dahlin and Alex Tuch are going to want to stick around. Tuch will be a free agent this summer and will be looking for a long-term deal with a significant raise. Buffalo needs a good showing this year to help entice him to stay. Thompson and Dahlin are both locked up long term but the Sabres have seen players asked to be shipped out of town before. Neither skater has even sniffed the playoffs in their career and theyâ€re not going to remain patient forever.

Whatâ€s most surprising about the Sabres futility over the past decade-plus is the team has actually drafted and acquired some quality players. The majority of those players have gone on to be significant contributors to championship teams and have won some major individual awards, it just hasnâ€t been in Buffalo. The Sabres have never had trouble finding talent. They just havenâ€t been able to keep it.

The New York Rangers have gotten off to a lukewarm start, but not for lack of trying from Igor Shesterkin. Heâ€s been borderline unbeatable thus far in the 2025-26 campaign, allowing only five total goals across five starts. His save percentage currently sits at .962 and Shesterkin is already up to 8.1 goals saved above expected. Heâ€s been at his absolute best right out of the gate.

What has to be frustrating for Shesterkin, though, is that despite his excellent start, he only has two wins to his credit. New York has been shut out twice in games Shesterkin started and three times overall, all at home. The Rangers have set a record for offensive futility to start a season, as theyâ€ve become the first team in NHL history to be shut out in three straight home games to begin a campaign. Theyâ€ve also wasted a strong showing from Jonathan Quick, who stopped 20-of-21 shots against the Washington Capitals, but ultimately took a 1-0 loss because the Rangers were held off the scoresheet.

Part of the problem is that Artemi Panarin is off to an uncharacteristically slow start. The Rangers forward only has two assists and hasnâ€t scored yet this season. Heâ€s also managed two shots or less in five of his six games. Panarin is a 90-point player all day long and heâ€s entering a contract year, so the slow start comes at a less than ideal time. Itâ€s still early and thereâ€s plenty of time for Panarin to turn things around but if the Rangers want to start getting back into the win column more regularly, theyâ€ll need their superstar forward to get back on track.

Shesterkin had a down year for his standards in 2024-25 with a .905 save percentage, and that, combined with a season for the ages from Connor Hellebuyck, made Shesterkin somewhat forgotten about a year ago. Now heâ€s reminding everyone just how good he is when heâ€s at his best and if the Rangers hope to return to the playoffs, itâ€s going to be because Shesterkin carried them there.

Chris Kreider probably needed a lot of arm twisting to join the Anaheim Ducks back in June. The New York Rangers were the only team he had ever known, but they were keen to move Kreiderâ€s $6.5 million salary off their books for the final two years of his deal. Kreider, coming off a down year where he managed just 22 goals, had to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate the move. That meant going to a team in a rebuild that had missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons. He ultimately did and so far, itâ€s worked out swimmingly.

Kreider is excelling on the Ducks top line, scoring four goals in his first four games, with a couple of them being very timely. The 34-year-old scored in the final minute against the San Jose Sharks last week, paving the way for Anaheimâ€s first victory of the season in overtime. Then this week, Kreider found the back of the net again in the final two minutes for a game-winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Heâ€s looked more like the player weâ€re used to seeing this year and seems poised to hit 30 goals once again.

The Ducks were probably excited about adding Kreider for more than just his on-ice abilities. Many people picked Anaheim to break through and return to the post-season in 2025-26 due to a talented young core, but they were perhaps lacking some veteran leadership. Kreider has several deep playoff runs under his belt and scored 24 goals between 2021 and 2024 over three post-season appearances. If the Ducks were to return to the playoffs, Kreider is a proven performer that has delivered in many big games in the past.

Ultimately, the Ducks are only going to go as far as players like Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Jackson LaCombe, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke and other young talents are going to take them, but not all of those players are ready to be key contributors just yet. Having someone like Kreider around to mentor that group as they try to get to the next level is invaluable and heâ€s proving he still has a lot to offer on the ice as well.

Scott Wedgewood, Colorado Avalanche

In a two-week stretch late last fall, the Colorado Avalanche shook up their crease in a big way. Alex Georgiev and Justus Annunen were out, and Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood were in. The Avs acquired both in separate deals less than two weeks apart, with Blackwood slated to be the biggest difference maker. That was true last season, as Blackwood stepped in provided the steady play between the pipes the Avs had been missing, but now Wedgewood is really starting to prove his worth as well.

Blackwood was not available to start the season because of injury and if the Avs had to turn to a subpar backup, they wouldâ€ve been at risk of watching the start of their campaign get derailed by poor goaltending once again. Wedgewood, though, has been stellar and is proving to be one of the biggest surprises of the first two weeks of the season. The 33-year-old boasts a 4-0-1 record with a .939 save percentage and has allowed just a single goal in four of his five starts. He also has 5.2 goals saved above expected.

If Wedgewoodâ€s play thus far has caught some people by surprise, the Avalanche may very well have expected it. He was excellent after joining Colorado last season, winning 13 games and losing just four times in regulation, to go along with a .917 save percentage. They clearly have confidence in Wedgewoodâ€s abilities, as the Avs didnâ€t rush out to grab another veteran goalie for insurance when Blackwood was sidelined for training camp and thought enough of him to give up on the much younger and once highly touted Annunen.

If you remember, Colorado started out last season 0-4-0 after allowing 25 goals in four games. The Avs were probably worried about a similar fate this year when Blackwood went down, but Wedgewood has erased all those fears. Wedgewood has been just as important as Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas have to this hot start. Now a Blackwood return seems like itâ€s on the horizon, but if Wedgewood continues to play at this level, heâ€s going to really make Blackwood earn his playing time going forward.

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From Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov to Anthony Stolarz and Jake Walman, many impending free agents have already locked up contract extensions.

Tuch has pressed pause on negotiations with the Atlantic Division club, agent Brian Bartlett told Daily Faceoff on Thursday.

“We werenâ€t able to kind of get to what made a deal before the season. And then at this point, weâ€ve just put it on the back burner,” Bartlett told Irfaan Gaffar and David Pagnotta on the DFO Rundown Inside Edition.

Tuch, 29, is set to be among the most highly sought free agents if he makes it to July 1. At 1-3, the Buffalo Sabres could even make him a prize of the trade deadline if they choose to sell.

In 82 games last season, Tuch matched a career high with 36 goals to go with 31 assists. The Syracuse, N.Y., native is now in his fifth season with the Sabres after being dealt from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the trade sending former Buffalo captain Jack Eichel the other way.

Bartlett said he and the team engaged in “consistent” communication regarding Tuch throughout the past off-season.

“We had some good conversations, got kind of the parameters of whatever everyone was thinking. Itâ€s very clear to us that the Buffalo Sabres would like Alex Tuch to re-sign long-term. Thatâ€s been communicated very well, very clearly, very effectively by (Sabres general manager) Kevyn Adams and the staff there,” Bartlett said.

“And I think hopefully weâ€ve communicated back to them that Alex would be very happy to stay in Buffalo, as well.”

In 540 career games with the Minnesota Wild, Golden Knights and Sabres, Tuch owns 168 goals and 217 assists for 385 points.

He was originally selected 18th overall by the Wild in the 2014 draft, but was traded to the Golden Knights ahead of their 2017 expansion draft and became a key part of the ‘Golden Misfits’ that went to the Stanley Cup Final in their first year of existence.

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The Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres both entered Wednesday night’s fourth game of the season searching for answers.

For the Senators, it was a chance to rebound from back-to-back losses to Florida and Nashville. For the Sabres, it was about finding any sign of life after an 0–3 start that had some fans in Buffalo wearing paper bags over their heads and calling for their GM’s firing.

So Sens fans hoped this game would be a slump-buster. It was, but not for Ottawa.

The Sabres exploded for eight goals — four times more than they’d scored in their first three games combined — in an 8–4 home win over the Senators. Eight different Sabres recorded multi-point nights, with Zach Benson leading the way with four assists and Cobden native Jack Quinn scoring twice.

For Ottawa, it was their third straight loss, dropping them to 1–3–0 on the young season. As they began life without injured captain Brady Tkachuk for a good long while, the team has now allowed 18 goals during their 3-game funk.

The game’s weird tone was set early. Playing his first game as Ottawa’s full-time backup, Leevi Meriläinen was victimized early by the flukiest of goals — a puck that missed the net by a mile, bounced off the end boards, floated over the crossbar, and banked in off his back.

Meriläinen finished with 19 saves in a rough introduction to the new season.

Sens head coach Travis Green was able to find some silver linings.

“It definitely did not feel like an 8-4 hockey game,” Green told the media after the game. “We spent a lot of time in their zone. Some weird goals went in tonight. When you lose a game like that, you hate to say that your team played pretty well. But we did a lot of good things tonight.

“I thought there were a few moments in the game that we got a little loose with our puck play. They got a little momentum on a couple of those goals, especially the short-handed one. And yeah, we’ve got to stick with the process, though.”

The Senators showed flashes of pushback. Shane Pinto continued his hot start with his fifth goal of the season, while Jordan Spence added three assists in another strong performance. But every Ottawa rally was short-lived — undone by defensive lapses and ridiculous bounces.

“There’s some good and some not so good,” said Thomas Chabot. “We got momentum back in the third, scored two big goals, and then right after their timeout, we allow one. That just can’t happen. But a lot of it is our own mistakes — things we can fix as a team.

“It’s frustrating, but we’ve got to stay together and battle through this.”

The Sabres have now won five straight games against the Senators — their longest active streak against any opponent, according to NHL.com.

Drake Batherson, playing in his first game since last spring’s playoffs, admitted that the team was frustrated but focused on moving forward.

“We were outshooting them, outplaying them there for a while,” Batherson said. “But I’ll give them credit — they’ve got some skill, and we gave up some odd-man rushes. And they’ve got the skill to put it in the back of the net.

“I think any time you lose big like that, it’s better when you play the next day, I think. You can kind of forget about it quicker. So we’re excited. Get home. And yeah, the best thing is playing the next day and getting right back at it.”

That’s exactly what the Sens will have to do when they host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. Because if Wednesday’s loss to a desperate Sabres team was any indication, the Senators’ own desperation needs to show up fast.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jack Quinn gave Buffalo the lead for the first time this season with a shot that missed the net and still went in, and the Sabres had two more power-play scores and a short-handed goal to beat the Ottawa Senators 8-4 on Wednesday night for their first victory.

Quinn got it started midway through the first period on a man advantage, firing a one-timer from the slot that sailed just right and over the net, bounced off the glass and fluttered in off goalie Leevi Merilainenâ€s back. Quinn also scored in the third period.

The Sabres broke through after being outscored 10-2 in losing three straight to open the season — falling 4-0 at home to the New York Rangers and 3-1 at Boston and at home against Colorado. They have never opened 0-4.

Jason Zucker scored two power-play goals in a 1:57 span in Buffalo’s four-goal second period. Ryan McLeod scored short-handed and Alex Tuch had an even-strength goal in the second. McLeod added a goal in the third, and Jiri Kulich had an empty-netter.

Shane Pinto scored his firth goal of the season for Ottawa, and Tim Stutzle Jake Sanderson and Lars Eller also connected. The Senators have lost three straight after an opening victory over Tampa Bay.

The teams combined for four goals in a 2:37 span early in the third. Pinto and Eller cut it to 5-4, and McLeod and Quinn countered for Buffalo to restore the three goal lead.

Ottawa played without captain Brady Tkachuk. He’s is expected to be sidelined at least four weeks because of a right hand injury sustained Monday

Senators owner Michael Andlauer said Wednesday that Tkachuk is having a second opinion to determine if surgery will be required for a right arm/wrist injury. Tkachuk was hurt Monday night at Nashville when he was cross-checked into the boards by Roman Josi.

Fellow forward Drake Batherson made his season debut. He sustained an upper-body injury early in training camp.

Senators: Host Seattle on Thursday night.

Sabres: Host Florida on Saturday night.

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Fans of the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres haven’t had a ton to cheer about in the early going. Not only are their teams sitting in the bottom two spots in the Atlantic Division, they’ve both absorbed key injuries to first line players. Here’s what to expect in Buffalo.

SENATORS (1-2-0) at SABRES (0-3-0)

7 p.m. | SN1, RDS

Shock to the System for Both Clubs

Both the Senators and Sabres have been hit hard to start the 2025-26 season — and not just on the scoreboard.

Each team lost a key piece of its core to long-term injury during the opening week of the campaign. Sens captain Brady Tkachuk and Sabres centre Josh Norris — best friends off the ice — will both be sidelined for several weeks, leaving their clubs searching for answers on both replacements and shaky starts.

Ottawa enters Wednesday night’s matchup at 1-2-0, while Buffalo has stumbled out of the gate at 0-3-0, the two worst records in the Atlantic Division. The Sabres’ biggest problem has been offense — they’ve scored just two goals total through three games. But they ran the table on Ottawa last season so nothing will be taken for granted in this one.

Game Notes

• Drake Batherson will make his season debut for Ottawa after missing the first week with an upper-body injury from training camp.

• Brady Tkachuk is expected to be out at least four weeks after suffering a hand or wrist injury in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Nashville. It’ll be a much longer absence if surgery is required. Michael Amadio will move up to play on the top line, alongside Tim Stutzle and Fabian Zetterlund.
• Leevi Merilainen makes his season debut for the Senators.

• Buffalo rookie Zach Benson returns to the lineup after missing three games with a facial injury sustained in practice on Oct. 8.

• Jiri Kulich draws in after practicing on the Sabres’ fifth line Tuesday.

• Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forward Jordan Greenway both returned to practice Tuesday but remain out indefinitely.

Projected Lineups (from NHL.com)

Ottawa Senators

Forwards

Fabian Zetterlund – Tim Stützle – Michael Amadio

David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson

Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Claude Giroux

Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Olle Lycksell

Defensemen

Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence

Goaltenders

Leevi Meriläinen

Linus Ullmark

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Zach Benson – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch

Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Josh Doan

Jack Quinn – Jiri Kulich – Justin Danforth

Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak – Peyton Krebs

Defensemen

Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin

Owen Power – Conor Timmins

Jacob Bryson – Ryan Johnson

Goaltenders

Alex Lyon

Colten Ellis

Scratched: Josh Dunne, Mason Geertsen

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Any way you want to frame it, losing three straight games to start the season is a disaster for the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres‘ third straight defeat came Monday at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche — a legitimate Stanley Cup frontrunner — and once again, offense was a problem for Buffalo.

To wit: The Sabres only managed a single run for the second straight game. Buffalo has just two goals combined in their three games. You do the math.

The Sabres weren’t even close to good enough to beat the New York Rangers or the Boston Bruins in Games 1 and 2. Buffalo’s offense has been feeble, to say the least, because after Monday’s game, the Sabres now have the 32nd-ranked offense in the league.

Indeed, it’s been a nightmare beginning to Buffalo’s season. And the worst part could be soon to come.

By which, we mean the Sabres’ schedule is relentless in its quality of opponent. Buffalo is taking on the Ottawa Senators in their next game. And after that, they’ll square off against the Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs (twice) and Columbus Blue Jackets. And just like that, more than 10 percent of the Sabres’ season will be over.

Injury-Plagued Sabres Having Worst-Case-Scenario Start To Season
The news from Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was about as bad as it can get for a hockey team — Buffalo’s first-line center, Josh Norris, will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future after being injured in the Sabres’ first game of the season Thursday.

And while it’s true you can’t earn a Stanley Cup playoff spot by the end of October, it’s also true you can start to bury your playoff aspirations within the league’s first month. That’s the very real possibility for Buffalo in these next seven games. If they can’t generate wins in the next few weeks, the Sabres will be chasing a post-season berth for what could be a very long time.

The particulars of Buffalo’s three losses don’t really matter. The reality is all anyone ultimately cares about is that the Sabres are once again in the basement of their division. Even an overtime and/or shootout loss would be more encouraging than the start that Buffalo has gotten out to.

Norris Out Long-Term After Being Injured In Opener
One of the things that the Buffalo Sabres needed to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a healthy Josh Norris playing on the top line as a #1 center, setting up sniper Tage Thompson.That hope lasted just one game, as Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff announced on Saturday that Norris will be out a “significant period of time†after being injured in the clubâ€s  4-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday.

You can’t make any definitive statements about the Sabres after three games. But you can definitely say that Buffalo is in the worst spot imaginable, and nothing less than a quick-and-major competitive turnaround will ensure the Sabres’ season begins to circle the drain.

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The Buffalo Sabres†home rink – the KeyBank Center – is nearly 30 years old. And with new or renovated arenas popping up throughout the NHL, the Sabres were due to upgrade their facilities and get on par with the modern-day perks of a fresh start. And according to a WGRZ report, renovations to the KeyBank Center are being pegged as costing at least $400 million.

Sabres executive Pete Guelli confirmed to WGRZ that conversations had begun between the team, New York state, and Erie County, N.Y. regarding upgrading the facility, but cautioned that the discussions — between the team, state, and county officials — are only preliminary thus far. That’s because the Sabres have been focusing on the construction of an NFL football stadium for the Buffalo Bills in the area – the second iteration of the Highmark Stadium.

“That’s where I would categorize (talks as preliminary),†Guelli told WGRZ. “Obviously we’re working through the (Billsâ€) stadium project, and we know thatâ€s going to open up on time over the summer, and need to get through that, but we have to start planning.â€

The Sabres have been in contact with architecture firm Populous – the design firm behind the new Highmark Stadium – regarding what a renovated KeyBank Center would look like. The WGRZ report indicated that the proposed renovations will be “substantial and touch every aspect of the facility, including the infrastructure, team areas and fan-facing experiencesâ€.

“The dream scenario would be this super high-performing arena that had 200 events a year, and 2-million people coming to it, and an absolute beautiful mixed-use property on the waterfront in Buffalo,†Guelli said. “I think thatâ€s a vision that everybody could get behind.â€

Injury-Plagued Sabres Having Worst-Case-Scenario Start To Season
The news from Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was about as bad as it can get for a hockey team — Buffalo’s first-line center, Josh Norris, will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future after being injured in the Sabres’ first game of the season Thursday.

This arena news will be welcome to devout Sabres fans whoâ€ve supported their team throughout the organizationâ€s 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought. But it wonâ€t matter what condition the arena or surrounding area is in if the on-ice results arenâ€t where everybody wants them to be.

The Sabres canâ€t point to their arena to explain why they havenâ€t been a playoff team for nearly a decade-and-a-half. Itâ€s not the KeyBank Centerâ€s fault that Buffalo simply hasnâ€t been able to get the job done.

Sabres’ Schedule Is Punishing Out Of The Gate — And It Could Be Why Buffalo Misses Playoffs For 15th Straight Season
The Buffalo Sabres†2025-26 regular-season is here at last, and the Sabres would certainly like to win their first game – a home game against the New York Rangers Thursday night – an analysis of their schedule tells Sabres fans they need to buckle down and get ready for a true test of this team, right out of the starting block.

So while itâ€s admirable that the Sabres have rink renovations on the radar, the focus in Buffalo will be squarely on the Sabres’ win/loss columns. And itâ€s going to stay that way until the Sabres figure out how to become relevant again.

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