There is no question that this is not the start that the Buffalo Sabres were hoping for to begin the 2025-26 season. They lost both games and were outscored 7-1 in those games by the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.
Fans certainly have the right to be frustrated with how these games have gone, especially in a season in which there was some hope they could end their playoff drought. However, it hasn't been all bad to begin the season, and these are three players who have been bright spots for the Buffalo Sabres.
Alex Lyon
Entering the season, the goalie position was the biggest concern as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen suffered another injury and would be unavailable to begin the regular season. The team was forced to turn to Alex Lyon, who they signed as a free agent this summer, and he has been nothing short of spectacular.
In the first two games, the Sabres have come out flat, and the other team has put a lot of pressure on them. It has fallen to Lyon to keep them in the game, as he has faced a combined 31 shots just in the first period this season, but has only given up two goals.
The Sabres really have not been able to generate much offense to begin the season but what Lyon has been able to do in the net has kept them in both games until the third period.
Jason Zucker
While there hasn't been much to be excited about among the forwards, Jason Zucker has had a good start to the season. In the game against the Rangers, he started the game with Jiri Kulich and Alex Tuch on the second line, but midway through the game, Lindy Ruff moved him up to replace Peyton Krebs.
There is no question that he provided a little boost to the line, and the Sabres decided to stick with it in the game against the Boston Bruins. He would deliver with the only goal for the Sabres this season, and through two games leads the Sabres in ixG at 0.38 according to Natural Stat Trick.
Josh Doan
The final player is one of the new additions to the Sabres as Josh Doan came over in the summer as part of the JJ Peterka trade. He has gotten off to a good start with the team and made some much-needed plays.
Through two games, he is currently third on the team in ixG at 0.21 and tied with Zucker for the team lead in individual high-danger chances with two. After the game against the Bruins, Lindy Ruff said he thought Doan played well and that was why they moved him up the lineup during the game.
The Sabres really need production from their top stars like Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, and if they start to get that, the performances by Zucker and Doan will only be more impactful. They are not players that can carry an offense, but in a secondary role, they can make a difference.