3 questions facing Buffalo Sabres

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Buffalo Sabres.

1. How will the Sabres replace JJ Peterka’s 68 points?

Peterka (27 goals, 41 assists in 77 games) was traded to the Utah Mammoth on June 26 for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan, leaving an offensive void.

The Sabres’ most significant offseason additions at forward are Doan and Justin Danforth, who combined for 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) last season. As such, making up for Peterka’s offensive production will have to be a team effort.

The two key players in that regard will be forwards Jack Quinn and Josh Norris.

Quinn is expected to receive an expanded role and improve on his 39 points (15 goals, 24 assists) in 74 games from last season. Norris, who scored an NHL career-high 35 goals in 66 games in 2021-22, will have to stay healthy after injuries limited him to an average of 38 games per season in the past three.

2. Will Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen finally show the Sabres he’s a legitimate No. 1 NHL goalie?

The Sabres thought Luukkonen had already done that when they signed him to a five-year contract on July 24, 2024. The 26-year-old had just come off a season when he was 27-22-4 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and five shutouts in 54 games (then an NHL career high), so they had reason to feel he was a difference-maker. Instead, he regressed last season, going 24-24-5 with a 3.20 GAA and an .887 save percentage.

If Luukkonen falters, Buffalo has two options. Ideally, the opportunity is there for 23-year-old Devon Levi to take the next step, but he likely will start the season with Rochester of the American Hockey League, considering he’s 17-17-2 with a 3.29 GAA and an .894 percentage in 39 NHL games. Buffalo signed Alex Lyon to a two-year contract on July 1, but he’s only played more than 30 games once in a season since entering the League in 2017-18.

3. Can forward Ryan McLeod improve on the NHL career-high 53 points he had last season?

The Sabres think so and proved it by signing the 25-year-old to a four-year contract on July 1. The forward had 20 goals and 33 assists in 79 games last season and has 128 points (52 goals, 76 assists) in 298 regular-season games.

But for general manager Kevyn Adams, this is about more than just offensive production; it’s McLeod’s ability to play in all situations that made the Sabres eager to keep him for the long haul.

"One of the things I love about Ryan is he showed last year, I mean third-, second-line center, he can move over to wing, he can play power play, he kills penalties," Adams said. "An all-situations player right in the prime years of his career as a centerman.”

Having said that, McLeod’s speed and the departure of Peterka give him the opportunity to improve on his stats from last season. For a Sabres team that has not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 14 years, it would come as a big help.