The NHL released its full regular-season schedule for the 2026-27 season on Thursday, which includes two additional contests for each team to create an 84-game slate. The Buffalo Sabres will open the campaign Oct. 1 on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Buffalo's home opener at the KeyBank Center will take place two days later, Oct. 3, when the Blue and Gold host the Chicago Blackhawks, who will probably be without superstar center Connor Bedard as he recovers from an offseason shoulder injury.
The Sabres, who are scheduled to wrap up the regular season April 10 at home against the Detroit Red Wings, feel perfectly prepared to handle the modest increase in games for a few different reasons.
Buffalo has already established a three-goalie rotation
The Sabres created a goaltender triumvirate before last season when they claimed Colten Ellis off waivers from the St. Louis Blues while starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was dealing with an injury. Although the expectation was they'd eventually return to a typical two-netminder system, the strong play of Ellis and Alex Lyon led the club to keep them all on the active roster.
Now, with the success the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes also had using a rotation, carrying three goalies may become the norm, especially with a new NHL rule requiring a full-time emergency backup goalie (EBUG) for 2026-27. The Edmonton Oilers have already signaled their intention to use one, including former Sabres prospect Devon Levi.
Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff did a nice job trying to find playing time for UPL, Lyon and Ellis throughout the campaign, though Ellis' role lessened down the stretch. It's not an easy task to find enough action for all of them, but the team finished third in cumulative save percentage (.907).
Being able to keep all three goaltenders fresh and effective is crucial as the days of netminders playing 70 games a season begin to fade away. The Sabres are prepared to meet the challenge, regardless of whether or not they end up making a blockbuster trade for the Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck.
The Sabres feature one of the NHL's youngest rosters
Things can still change before the offseason ends — the Blue and Gold been heavily linked to Buffalo native Patrick Kane, a 37-year-old unrestricted free agent — but as it stands, the team's roster features just four players 30 or older: Lyon, Jason Zucker, Justin Danforth and Sam Carrick.
The Sabres have prioritized youth, which is why they opted to re-sign Zach Benson (21) and Josh Doan (24) to long-term contract extensions while deciding against meeting the $84 million demands of Alex Tuch (30), who was sent to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade deal.
While it's impossible to guarantee health in a hard-hitting sport, younger players have a better chance to survive the wear and tear of a seven-month regular season and two-month playoff run. It simply becomes harder to bounce back on a night-to-night basis after years in the NHL.
Jarmo Kekalainen protected his team's terrific depth
As it stands, the Sabres will arrive to training camp with at least 15 forwards set to battle for 13 spots on the active roster. They'll also have one NHL-caliber defenseman, likely Zach Metsa, starting the year with the AHL's Rochester Americans.
Although the "extra" players have raised questions about whether more moves are coming, which is certainly an option, it's also possible Kekalainen is placing an emphasis on making sure there's enough depth to properly handle injuries that will arise during an 84-game journey. That's especially true when you consider the franchise's group of prospects nearing NHL readiness.
Additionally, the Sabres have an estimated $5.1 million in salary-cap space (via PuckPedia) to bring in another player or two at some point before the 2027 trade deadline, if necessary. (That money could also be used sooner if a Hellebuyck trade or Kane signing materializes.)
So, even though there are some legitimate questions about Buffalo's roster departures this summer, the organization appears well-prepared to handle the twists and turns of a (slightly longer) season.
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