The Buffalo Sabres will face stiff competition in their quest to win a second straight Atlantic Division title and, for the most part, the team's front office is betting internal improvement to make sure another playoff spot is clinched in the spring.
Buffalo general manager Jarmo Kekalainen made a couple intriguing additions to the blue line (Olen Zellweger and Louis Crevier) but the Blue and Gold's forward group and three-goalie rotation will look quite similar to last year.
The Sabres aren't truly "running it back," however, because two key players from last year's breakthrough roster (Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram) departed for the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively. How will the club make up for that last production?
Let's take a look at three players capable of stepping up to make sure Buffalo keeps operating like a well-oiled machine during the 2026-27 NHL season.
Josh Norris
Norris is a frustrating case because the talent is obvious when he's able to stay healthy. He suffered an upper-body injury in last year's season opener, which caused him to miss nearly two months, but upon his return he scored 23 points (nine goals and 14 assists) over the next 24 games. The Sabres posted a 19-5-0 record in those contests.
So, it's easy to see the type of impact the 27-year-old Michigan native can make when he's on the ice consistently. That just hasn't happened enough during his seven-year NHL career, which began as a member of the Ottawa Senators.
In addition, Buffalo still hasn't been able to find a true No. 1 center. It made a push for the St. Louis Blues' Robert Thomas ahead of the 2026 trade deadline, but those efforts fell short and no substantial rumors emerged in that regard throughout the offseason.
Tage Thompson has often filled the role in recent years but head coach Lindy Ruff rightfully prefers the Sabres superstar on the wing, which helps mask his defensive and faceoff weaknesses. Finding that top-line pivot could move him into that more comfortable position on a permanent basis.
Norris is the best internal option to fill that key spot on the depth chart, at least for now. Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius will aim to prove they're capable of it moving forward. Staying healthy is the most crucial factor for the former 35-goal scorer, though.
Jack Quinn
Quinn's name has popped up in trade speculation quite a bit in recent years and that underlying buzz persisted despite posting a career-high 51 points (20 goals and 31 assists) in 82 appearances last season.
The 2020 first-round pick has always possessed terrific offensive potential — he's long been predicted to eventually hit the 30-goal plateau — but he's struggled to evolve his defensive impact, which means the Sabres often give back just as much as they gain when the winger is out there.
Uncertainty about Quinn's future is buoyed by the fact he's set to become a restricted free agent following the 2026-27 campaign, and he'll surely be looking for a sizable raise from his current $3.375 million salary if he's able to surpass 50 points for the second straight year.
It all combines to create an environment where the 24-year-old Canadian can prove he's a key building block for Buffalo's future. That's especially true with the first-line right wing spot open following Tuch's exit, though Josh Doan should be favored to earn the role.
Quinn can change a lot of narratives if he finally puts everything together to play strong two-way hockey in top-six minutes for the Sabres.
Owen Power
Power is a rock-solid defenseman whose ability to shut down plays defensively and jump-start counterattacks is vastly underrated by critics who expect a 6-foot-6 defenseman to dish out over 200 hits a year. That's simply not the type of player the University of Michigan product is.
Yet, it's also fair to say his impact hasn't lived up to the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick, which he was in 2021.
Power, 23, ranks in the 59th percentile of projected wins above replacement (WAR) based on a three-year weighted average from HockeyStats.com. That suggests he's a good player but not an elite contributor, which essentially matches the eye test.
It does seem like the blueliner has a few more gears he can find, though. The question is whether he can start moving toward that upper echelon of NHL defensemen as he takes on more two-way responsibilities without Byram in the mix.
He should have the No. 2 power-play quarterback role to himself after splitting it with Byram last season, and he'll also be asked to start more puck-carrying breakouts in 2026-27. He's capable of handling those tasks but the results have been uneven to this point in his career.
All told, few players on the Sabres roster have a wider range of potential outcomes next season than Power, and his performance will have a trickle-down effect (for better or worse) on the rest of the squad.
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