The Buffalo Sabres overcame a sluggish start Monday night to secure a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in their first game of the 2025 NHL preseason. It was a mostly strong all-around performance by the Blue and Gold, but one important forward line still has work to do.
Josh Doan, Jiri Kulich and Jack Quinn — one of the Sabres projected Opening Night lines at the start of training camp — combined for an empty-net goal late in the third period (Quinn from Kulich and Doan) but otherwise failed to find much success in the exhibition opener.
The trio lost the Corsi battle 14-6 when they were on the ice at 5-on-5, and the group generated an underwhelming 0.17 expected goals in over 11 minutes of even-strength ice time together, per Natural Stat Trick.
Yes, the sample size is incredibly small and it's going to take Doan some time to acclimate to his new surroundings after arriving in an offseason trade from the Utah Mammoth. That said, it's still something to monitor for the remainder of Buffalo's preseason schedule.
Buffalo Sabres may have to juggle forward lines if Josh Doan, Jiri Kulich and Jack Quinn can't build chemistry quickly
Head coach Lindy Ruff's decision to put Doan, Kulich and Quinn on the same line to open camp came as a surprise. Kulich was often forecast to serve as the Sabres' first- or second-line center after frequently playing on the top line during the latter stages of the 2024-25 season.
Instead, Ruff placed Josh Norris on the No. 1 forward line — not a shock given the investment cost to get him in the Dylan Cozens trade — and Ryan McLeod on the second line. McLeod enjoyed a breakthrough season last year while serving in Buffalo's middle six.
The problem with moving McLeod up the lineup, however, is it leaves the Sabres without a clear checking line. It's not a role Doan, Kulich and Quinn should be asked to fill. A combination like Doan, McLeod and either Zach Benson or Jason Zucker makes more sense.
Ultimately, Ruff may have little option beyond sliding McLeod back down to the third line and allowing Kulich to play a more offensively focused role.
It's worth noting the trio operated more like a No. 1 line on Monday night, however, because the Sabres brought their fourth line (Peyton Krebs, Beck Malenstyn and Justin Danforth) along with several prospects on the trip to Columbus.
As a result, Doan, Kulich and Quinn took on some tough defensive responsibilities they probably wouldn't be tasked with in a regular-season game. They should get some more realistic matchups in future exhibition contests.
It's a wait-and-see situation for the time being. Ruff probably won't break them up immediately as the Sabres staff probably spent a lot of time debating the lines before showing up to camp ahead of the 2025-26 season. One mediocre performance isn't enough to switch things up already.
Doan, Kulich and Quinn will need to pick up their level of play if they're going to stick together once the games begin to count, though.