The 2025-26 NHL regular season begins on Oct. 7. Leading up to the season opener, NHL.com is identifying 5 things to watch for each team. Today, the Buffalo Sabres.
Last season: 36-39-7, seventh in Atlantic Division; missed Stanley Cup Playoffs
Coach: Lindy Ruff (second season)
Biggest challenge
Excuse the cliche, but the Buffalo Sabres need to put the past in the past in order to end their NHL-record 14-season Stanley Cup Playoff drought. Easier said than done. With every losing streak, with every midseason swoon, they constantly hear about their postseason dry spell from long-suffering Sabres fans. The hope is that Lindy Ruff, who returns for his second season in this, his second stint as Buffalo coach, can make his young players understand that they shouldn't be burdened with the shortcomings of the past. Again, easier said than done. On paper, talent shouldn’t be an issue; defensemen Rasmus Dahlin (2018) and Owen Power (2021) are No. 1 NHL Draft picks; forward Tage Thompson is a former 94-point player (47 goals, 47 assists in 2022-23); and forward Alex Tuch has 94 goals over the past three seasons. Peaking together simultaneously would go a long way toward creating new history.
How they make playoffs
There are two keys to this.
First, they’ll have to find a way to make up JJ Peterka’s 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists in 77 games). The 23-year-old was traded to the Utah Mammoth on June 26 for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. 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, Thompson, Tuch, Jack Quinn (15 goals, 24 assists, 39 points in 74 games last season) and Josh Norris, who scored an NHL career-high 35 goals in 66 games in 2021-22, will have to step up.
Secondly, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen must finally show the Sabres he’s a legitimate No. 1 NHL goalie. The 26-year-old regressed from a sparkling 2023-24 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), to going 24-24-5 with a 3.20 GAA and an .887 save percentage in 2024-25. He needs to regain his form of two seasons ago.
Most intriguing addition
Kesselring gives the Sabres a 6-foot-5, 215-pound right-hand shot who had an NHL career-high 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 82 games last season. The 25-year-old immediately projects as the defense partner for 22-year-old Power, who should be freed up to top the NHL career-high 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) he had in 79 games in 2024-25. Kesselring finished last season sixth among NHL defensemen in primary assists at 5-on-5 and is an intriguing mixture of hustle and muscle.
