The Buffalo Sabres dropped another season opener, their fourth straight to be exact, as they lost 6-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. It was a deflating performance after coming off a season in which they ended their playoff drought.
The Sabres, as a team, are going to leave Columbus as losers, and there were certainly a few players who contributed more to that outcome. However, there were also two players who stood out for good reasons in this game and can build on their performance.
Winner: Konsta Helenius
There may not be a player who has more excitement around them entering the season than Konsta Helenius. The former first-round pick made a huge impact in the playoffs last season and earned a full-time role in training camp.
He wasted no time making an impact with a goal in the second period that brought the Sabres within one with the score 4-3. The Sabres power play struggled in this game but this goal was with the second unit on the ice as it happened shortly after the Sabres had a power play expire.
It was an impressive shot from Helenius, who didn't really have much of an angle but was able to fit the puck in over Jet Greaves' shoulder and just under the crossbar. This goal and game from Helenius is not going to lower the excitement around the rookie.
Winner: Jack Quinn
Jack Quinn is coming off a breakout season where he had 20 goals for the first time in his career and picked up right where he left off to begin this season. Quinn would have the Sabres' second goal of the game, which came in the second period, prior to Helenius' goal.
The hesitation from Quinner. 😮💨#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/fvXvbWK5G8
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 2, 2026
He also almost had a second goal on the night on the power play where he brought the puck across the crease, got Greaves to commit, but the puck unfortunately hit the post and stayed out of the net.
While the results were different from those two plays, it shows just how much the game has seemed to slow down for Quinn. He is making the right plays with the puck, and that is only going to help him this season.
Loser: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
There is no question that this is not the way Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen wanted to start his season, as he gave up five goals on 22 shots. This is only the fifth game, between the regular season and playoffs, dating back to last season, in which Luukkonen has allowed five or more goals in a game.
The Sabres goalie had to be aware of all the rumors about the team being interested in Connor Hellebuyck. If he came out with a big performance, it at the very least could quiet some of that noise. However, if he continues to have performances like this, those rumors won't go away and will only get louder.
Loser: Jiri Kulich
Jiri Kulich was playing in his first NHL game in roughly 11 months after he was diagnosed with blood clots last season. It was great to see him back on the ice for the Buffalo Sabres, and he can be a difference-maker for this team.
However, the reason that he is a loser on this list is that the Sabres didn't get him on the ice enough. He began the game on the fourth line, and with the Sabres falling behind early, that line didn't see the ice much, and he finished the game with only 8:42 of ice time.
The Sabres might be beginning the season with Kulich on the fourth line to ease him back into game action after being away for so long. However, they shouldn't be waiting much longer to move him to a different line that would allow him to be more of a playmaker.
If the Sabres could switch Kulich with Peyton Krebs and put him on a line with Ryan McLeod and Konsta Helenius, it would be a better fit for Kulich and Krebs.
There is no reason for the Sabres to panic as it is only one game in a long season but they certainly have some things to consider ahead of their next game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
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