The Buffalo Sabres possess a golden opportunity to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011. Ending the longest postseason drought in NHL history would finally signal the franchise is turning a corner after a seemingly endless rebuild over the past decade.
Although the Sabres are in a promising position — they own the Eastern Conference's top wild-card position and they're closer to second place in the Atlantic Division (two points) than falling outside the East's top eight (five points) — there's still plenty of work to do over the final 25 games.
Buffalo did show some signs of concern while losing three of its last four contests before the league's three-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics. So, getting off to a strong start when action resumes Feb. 25 against the New Jersey Devils would provide a meaningful boost.
These players must step up to help make that happen for the Blue and Gold.
Josh Norris
The Sabres, more specifically former general manager Kevyn Adams, took a significant risk when acquiring Norris in a trade with the Ottawa Senators to make the center a cornerstone of the team's offense. His injury history was concerning, and nothing has changed this season.
Norris has played just 19 of Buffalo's 57 games because of two separate injuries. He's played well in those contests, tallying 17 points (six goals and 11 assists) and sparking the power play, but none of that matters if he's constantly finding himself on injured reserve.
The 26-year-old University of Michigan product staying healthy is probably the single biggest factor in determining the Sabres' true potential for the remainder of the campaign. If he avoids any further setbacks, they may not only make the playoffs, but they'll be a tough out for their East foes.
When Norris is out, however, it has problematic trickle-down effects on the Buffalo lineup. Most notably, head coach Lindy Ruff tends to elevate Peyton Krebs, one of the league's worst offensive play-drivers at 5-on-5, to the top line. That's not a winning formula.
So, there's a lot of pressure on the 2017 first-round draft pick to stay on the ice and continue to score at nearly a point-per-game pace to support Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Co.
Bowen Byram
Byram deserves a lot of credit for helping spark the Sabres' surge up the standings. He scored 12 points (four goals and eight assists) while posting a plus-15 rating across a 10-game span beginning with a Dec. 21 win over the Devils. He also blocked 14 shots over that stretch.
Alas, the Canadian defenseman has gone nearly silent since that point. He tallied no goals and three assists over the last 13 games before the break, and he also racked up 16 penalty minutes. His presence jumping in the rush, which was constant during his hot streak, has been far less common.
Some of that could be due to fatigue as Ruff leaned heavily on his top four defenders because of injuries and ineffectiveness from the club's third pair. But Byram also has a history of streaky play, so it wasn't a shock to see his performance drop off following that run of terrific games.
Seeing him flying up and down the ice at full speed after the time off would be a promising sign for Buffalo.
Michael Kesselring
Kesselring was the player who generated more attention when the Sabres acquired him along with winger Josh Doan in the offseason blockbuster trade that sent forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. Doan has been outstanding, and earned a long-term contract extension.
The 26-year-old defenseman hasn't enjoyed the same initial success in Buffalo. He's battled injuries dating all the way back to training camp and he simply hasn't looked like the player who enjoyed a breakout season with the Mammoth last year.
Kesselring has scored a single point (an assist) in 24 appearances. His defensive play has showed signs of improvement in the final weeks before the break, but it hasn't been enough to overcome his virtually nonexistent offensive contributions. He posted 50 points over the past two years with Utah.
The Sabres will hope the Olympic break finally provided the talented blueliner with a chance to get back to full strength. A more impactful third pair would do wonders for Buffalo.