Are the Buffalo Sabres still a Top 10 team in the Future Power Ranking?

The Buffalo Sabres are about out of fuel, but back in December 2022, the Athletic praised the track this team was on. Are they still a future Top 10 team?

Over the past few weeks, the Buffalo Sabres have gone from being the Blue and Gold to the Blue and Fools Gold…to a degree, anyway. They’ve been beaten in every phase of the game, by even some of the weakest teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers.

But that doesn’t mean we need to throw in the towel on this team, because experts all across the NHL Universe have given our Sabres a massive thumbs up at various points this season. The NHL Future Power Rankings, written by The Athletic’s Corey Pronman and the staff back in December 2022, was one of those outlets, ranking the Blue and Gold eighth in their projection of the 2025-26 standings.

In the Atlantic, they ranked second, behind…you guessed it, the Toronto Maple Leafs. So what made The Athletic rank the Sabres so highly? Consider this quote:

"“The Sabres have the clear best group of young talent in the NHL. They are a team right now that could be confused with an older college hockey team, but they are among the leading scoring clubs in the league. Rasmus Dahlin is an elite NHL player, while Dylan Cozens is emerging into a true two-way center star in his own right, and there’s plenty of young depth behind them.” – Corey Pronman, via The Athletic."

Of course, the Sabres still need a lot of help if they wanted to be a top NHL team, something we can all agree on given their recent performances. And it was something The Athletic saw when they conducted these rankings.

The Buffalo Sabres will need some help if they want to keep that Top 10 ranking

For example, it’s clear they need to focus on goaltender, despite Devon Levi coming to town. Levi is only one player, and with no NHL experience, it’s hard to imagine him to step in between the pipes and put up a respectable game with the poor defensive play in front.

Maybe Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen can get it together, as he did enjoy a good deal of success at various points of the season. If Luukkonen can step up and bail out a porous defense, Levi and UPL could become a great one-two combo in time.

But as it stands, the jury remains out on both players, and the Sabres should look for another veteran goaltender – preferably one with extensive starting experience.

We don’t know where Levi will end up next season. Luukkonen could warrant a second look, but having an accomplished goaltender alongside him will help for a season or two.

Clearly, they’re going to need help in the defensive rotation. While Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and especially Mattias Samuelsson will factor in as solid fixtures, the jury remains out on the three remaining players in the unit.

Henri Jokiharju has, at best, been hit or miss. We won’t know the verdict on Riley Stillman until next season, Ilya Lyubushkin is good, but he has a low ceiling, and neither Jacob Bryson nor Kale Clague are the answers.

Overall, I agree with what The Athletic said 100 days ago. But if the Sabres want to take that next step and become a Top 10 team in the NHL, they won’t do it with the current roster.

So would I put them in the Top 10 of a future Power Ranking? I would, but I’m going to be tentative about it.

They have a strong, young core. But Luukkonen needs to be a game-changer for the better, even amidst poor defensive play. And the Buffalo Sabres could also use at least another strong defenseman or two.

Source: NHL Future Power Rankings: Projecting the 2025-26 standings by Corey Pronman and The Athletic NHL Staff, TheAthletic.com.