The calendar has flipped to September, which means that Buffalo Sabres hockey is right around the corner. It might just be preseason, but with a very ambitious training camp ahead, things are going to get interesting over the next few weeks.
Forget the next few weeks; following that immaculate 50-win, playoff-berth season, expectations are soaring right now. The Sabres are going to need to have everyone pitch in to try and replicate the same result as last season, as they are without two of last year's premier players, Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, who were both traded away over the summer.
Who will step up to the plate, bringing a career year to the highly excited Sabres fanbase? Here are five players who are a lock to kick up their contributions next season.
Konsta Helenius
Konsta Helenius is one of the young players that this franchise has a lot of stock in. His lone goal and three assists in nine games were not a bad showing. The 19-year-old made his NHL debut on January 19, and his second career game featured an incredible three-point outing against the Nashville Predators.
Helenius has so much potential already instilled in him from his time playing in the Finnish Elite League, where he was the second-youngest to ever record a hat trick. The icing on the cake here is that he also got to see four games of playoff action for the Sabres last season, recording two goals in the second round against the Montreal Canadiens.
In 2026-27, Helenius is going to become a household name, and there is a great chance that he will be a main catalyst for goal scoring next season without Tuch on the roster.
Jiri Kulich
Similarly to Helenius, Jiri Kulich is another younger player with a lot to prove. Last season was cut short after 12 games due to a blood clot, and in the short sample size, it appeared he was continuing on from his rookie campaign.
In 2024-25, Kulich appeared in 62 games, scoring 15 goals and adding nine assists for 24 points. The foundation was laid for his impactful sophomore season in 2025-26, but it was unfortunately cut short.
Expect the 2026-27 season to be a complete breakout performance for No. 20, as he gets back on the ice following this health scare and emerges as a top-six scorer.
Rasmus Dahlin
It is hard to ask a defenseman to do more than what captain Rasmus Dahlin did in 2025-26. But that is exactly what we are asking here, as he needs to take that final step toward becoming an elite defender in this league.
We all just saw Cale Makar just secure the biggest bag of cash in NHL history with an AAV of $20.4 million over the next eight years, starting in 2027-28. The Colorado Avalanche gave him that money because Makar just notched his sixth straight year on the Norris Trophy ballot.
Dahlin, who is about to enter the prime of his career, has a four-year Norris ballot streak of his own. The 2026-27 season is a great place to take the next step, and a career-high of 74 points last season has to be eclipsed. Without Byram in the defensive core, No. 26's offensive output has to increase to make up that loss.
Zach Benson
The Sabres faithful got to see the emergence of sensation Zach Benson in 2025-26. Now, the same fans want to see him rise to the occasion without Tuch in the lineup.
Benson finished last season with 13 goals and 30 assists for 43 points. He was rewarded with a new contract worth an AAV of $7.5 million over the next seven years. That amount of money is highlighted with a new set of expectations.
As each year passes, Benson seems to get better and better. That trend is a great sign for the upcoming season, but it has to continue and cannot falter. Becoming a better finisher around the crease could see his goal total skyrocket in 2026-27.
Tage Thompson
With a career-high 47 goals in 2022-23, Tage Thompson has a chance to become the fifth-ever Sabre to reach the 50-goal plateau. Losing Tuch is going to hurt in terms of overall goal scoring, but there are plenty of players who can collectively pitch in more to make up that ground.
None more than Thompson, who is now the leader of the offensive group. With some younger players expected to get a lot more playing time next season, it will be on No. 72 to lead on the ice by being vocal and by performance.
The Sabres have a solid chance of making it back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it is heavily leaning on Thompson's ability to carry this team. Seeing him crack the 90-point mark for the second time would be a major step in the right direction.
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