Locked On Sabres - Daily Podcast On The Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres have a pretty clear cut top-five defensemen heading into the 2026-27 season, but who will be the sixth? There will likely be a competition between Zach Metsa and Conor Timmins in training camp and into the regular season. Metsa provides some really solid play at 5-on-5, but offers nothing on special teams. Timmins can be a liability at even-strength, but is a core penalty killer. Which role will the Sabres need more? Was Metsa's incredible run of not allowing a goal last season total luck? Plus, could prospects Radim Mrtka, Daxon Rudolph, or Adam Kleber factor into the Sabres lineup by the end of the season?

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Owen Power has always been a polarizing player for Buffalo Sabres fans, ever since he was the 1st overall pick in the NHL Draft. He may have never been more polarizing though then right after the playoffs ended, after great series' against the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. Power played through a horrible ankle sprain, and played well in Games 6 and 7 of the second round. After that run, is it fair to say Owen Power has finally arrived? Sneaky Joe takes a look at Power's 2025-26 season, and how much room he still has to grow as a shooter and a physical player. Plus, an update on Connor Hellebuyck keeps optimism alive for a big trade between the Sabres and Jets.

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Mattias Samuelsson had one of the most improbable breakouts in Buffalo Sabres history in 2025-26, going from a legitimate buyout candidate that couldn't stay healthy, that also wouldn't hit anybody, to a tremendous top-pair defenseman who was bullying opponents on the ice, and scored more goals than he had in his entire career combined! The Samuelsson story is one of the most incredible we've ever seen. You can now say he is one of the best big-man defensemen in the NHL. The offense showing up for Samuelsson was something he hasn't done since he was 15 years old, and he scored goals in big big moments. Samuelsson's future now looks as bright as you could imagine, but are his injury problems a thing of the past?

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Louis Crevier was not the focal point of the Buffalo Sabres trade with Chicago this offseason, but he has the potential to be the second success story as a throw in to a deal, following in Josh Doan's footsteps from last season. Crevier is a monster defenseman at 6'8'', 228 pounds, who will bury a forward into the boards and in front of the net. He also just happens to have a bomb of a slap shot, while also being one of the fastest skating defenseman in the NHL. Crevier has all the tools you could want as a blueliner. If he puts it all together, we're talking about a top-four defenseman for the Sabres.

Crevier could battle with Olen Zelleweger to be Owen Power's partner, potentially being someone that can do for Power what Mattias Samuelsson does for Rasmus Dahlin. A look at Crevier's role in Chicago shows someone playing some of the toughest matchups in the NHL, always starting in his own end. How different will his role be in Buffalo? Likely very different.

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Rasmus Dahlin has become a premier, tier-1 defenseman in the NHL, finishing as a Norris Trophy finalist in 2025-26, following career highs. Dahlin's story of last season was incredible, leading the Buffalo Sabres out of their playoff drought after dealing with so much off the ice with his fiancé. Dahlin's season cements him as the best Sabres defenseman of all-time already. Yes, over Phil Housley and Mike Ramsey. Sneaky Joe goes back and watches all of Dahlin's shifts in Game 7 against the Canadiens, a game the Sabres lost, but Dahlin took over and did almost everything he could to win it... until the very end. The last shift of his season was a tough way to end an otherwise amazing campaign. Plus, why Dahlin's contract is going to be a massive bargain very very soon.

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Jiří Kulich missed all but 12 games last season due to a blood clot, making it easy to forget the potential he has for the Buffalo Sabres. It also would be easy to forget how much he struggled early last season, playing with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. So far in his career, Kulich has showed an elite shot release, but has struggled as a playmaker. As a center, it'll be tough for him to thrive without improving that. If Kulich can become a better passer and two-way player, he may have a future as a top-six center on the Sabres. However, he may be outranked now by Konsta Helenius, Noah Östlund, and others at center. Kulich on paper has all the skills to be a great goal scoring winger, but it hasn't gone great when he's done it in his first 75 games of his NHL career.

Plus, Jason Zucker has scored 45 goals for the Sabres in his first two seasons with the team, with almost half of those being on the powerplay. If Zucker no longer has a regular PP1 role, will he still warrant being in the lineup with so many good forwards on the Sabres? Zucker could end up being on the fourth line or in the press box if all the young guys thrive early in the season.

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The Buffalo Sabres forward group has more than twelve good options for the 2026-27 season, meaning there will be lots of competition on the fourth line. Sam Carrick, Peyton Krebs, Tyson Kozak, and Justin Danforth will all compete for the fourth line center spot, all providing different skills. Carrick is a faceoff specialist that penalty kills, while Peyton Krebs gives energy and offense. Kozak played great for the Sabres in the postseason, and is the cheapest of all the options. Danforth might be too far back with just a little too much salary committed to him to see making the team.

There also is the possibility that guys get pushed down from top lines to the fourth line because of the surplus. No one wants to see Noah Östlund play down on the fourth line, but he is good at it, and it would be a sign that everything is working higher in the lineup with young guys. Ryan McLeod ended the playoffs playing on the fourth line, so he could be an option. And Jason Zucker at the late stages of his career could transition to a player in that role as well.

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Sabres forward Jack Quinn set a career high in goals, assists, points, and pretty much any other statistic you can find in 2025-26, becoming an important piece of the Sabres offensive attack. With limitations still present in his game, Quinn is not yet a part of the Buffalo Sabres core, but he has one year left on his bridge contract to earn that. Quinn has developed into a speedy scorer, that also is one of the best shootout scorers in NHL history, but he does not contribute on the powerplay, and leaves a lot to be desired defensively. Does that add up to a player the Sabres should plan on paying a long-term extension?

A look at comparable players in the league shows that Quinn is in line for a deal that will pay him at least $6M per season, if not over $7M. There's been a lot of trade conversation and smoke involving Quinn, making a trade feel at least as likely as an extension would. For Quinn to become a player the Sabres would give a 6-8 year deal to, he's either going to need to increase his offensive production, potentially replacing Alex Tuch on the first line, or become a player that contributes on the powerplay.

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Tage Thompson has been one of the best goal scorers in the NHL over the last four years and you can argue the single best 5-on-5 goal scorer in the NHL. Most of that has been at center, but his future could be as a winger going forward. A look into Tage on the wing shows success when playing with Josh Norris, but otherwise it appears as though he's a better player as a center. However, the Sabres needs might dictate Tage playing winger, with so many options to play center like Konsta Helenius, Noah Östlund, Josh Norris, Ryan McLeod, etc. Tage could be the Sabres way to replace Alex Tuch.

Plus, Thompson disappeared for a long stretch of the playoffs, specifically struggling against the Canadiens. What about that series made Tage struggle so much? Especially after success in the Boston series, including being the hero in Game 1. Also, why Tage's contract could be argued as the most team-friendly contract in the NHL.

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Patrick Kane is not coming home, he is going back to the Chicago Blackhawks on a 2-year deal that will pay him $8M per year. Kane's deal likely means he'll go his entire career never playing for his hometown Buffalo Sabres, although most Sabres fans are actually happy about that. How competitive was the Sabres offer? It could've paid Kane more, but likely was not a guaranteed deal. Kane passing on the Sabres means they will need to find a fix to their powerplay somewhere else.

Sneaky Joe breaks down coaching changes Lindy Ruff and Seth Appert should use to get more out of the man-advantage, from more dump and chases, to working the puck down low once they're in the zone. Effectively running the powerplay through Josh Doan and Zach Benson, instead of Tage Thompson. Also, there are internal personnel options to replace Josh Norris on the top-unit, led by Jiri Kulich. While he hasn't had NHL success yet on the powerplay, Kulich's skillset and AHL career show a player that should be perfect for the right flank, opposite Tage.

If not Konsta Helenius might have the ability to contribute in his rookie season too.

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