For most of the offseason, the biggest question for the Buffalo Sabres was whether or not they will get enough development from their younger players to replace the production of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram. Those two players were big producers for the Sabres in a season where they finally reached the playoffs.
However, that discussion is assuming that all the other players on the roster are going to play at the level they did. That certainly won't be the case as there are a few players who might regress this upcoming season for one reason or another.
When looking at the current roster, these are three players who are most likely to regress during the 2026-27 season compared to last year for the Sabres.
Peyton Krebs
The Buffalo Sabres were able to reach a new four-year deal with Peyton Krebs this summer after he was a restricted free agent. For Krebs, this past season couldn't have come at a better time for him, as he set a career high in both goals (12) and assists (27), as well as +/- of +13.
One of the reasons that he was able to do this, and subsequently why he will struggle to reach these marks, is that he spent a good portion of the season on the top line. The Sabres dealt with several injuries, especially early in the season, that gave Krebs a chance to play on the top line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
This season, the Sabres hopefully will be healthier and won't need Krebs on that top line. He will more than likely slide back into his spot on the fourth line, and if that happens, he will not have nearly as many scoring opportunities. Krebs will still be valuable for the Sabres, but he will do the little things that make a team successful by winning with hustle on the forecheck and the penalty kill.
Jason Zucker
Jason Zucker is entering the final year of his contract but is also starting to show signs of slowing down near the end of his career. He will be turning 35 years old this upcoming season, and after 53 points in 2024-25, he had 45 this past season, due in part to his assists total dropping from 32 to 21.
This past season, he also saw a dip in his time on ice as it went from 16 minutes to 15:37 in the regular season and only 14:33 in the 13 playoff games.
The Sabres have several younger players ready to take that next step and will be fighting for a spot in the Top 6. It feels like Zucker's role this upcoming season will be on the third line and on the power play for the Sabres. With a diminished role, it is only logical that his numbers will continue to decrease and he could be facing a second straight season with a decrease in points.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
There may not be a player on the Sabres under more pressure to perform early than Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after a summer of rumors that Buffalo was pursuing Connor Hellebuyck. Unfortunately, if history is any indication, then Luukkonen is set to regress this season.
Luukkonen has alternated good seasons with subpar performances over the last four seasons in the NHL. He had two seasons with a goals against average below 2.60 and a save percentage close to .910 in 2025-26 and 2023-24. However, in the two other seasons (2024-25 and 2022-23), the goals against average was over 3.20, and the save percentage was below .900.
One of the reasons the Buffalo Sabres were able to get to the playoffs was because of how well Luukkonen and Alex Lyon played during the regular season. They are going to need similar performances if they hope to get back to the playoffs.
If the career trend continues for Luukkonen, he will struggle to replicate his performance this past season, and the trade rumors will only grow louder during the season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google