The Buffalo Sabres had a pretty big turnaround last season, and the 2026-27 season is coming with higher expectations. There is more at stake after breaking the 14-year playoff drought.
Going into the final weeks of the summer, the final roster is figuratively set. With that said, there is one player specifically who will decide the success or failure of next season.
Let's talk about it.
All eyes on one Buffalo Sabres goaltender
The Sabres may have a bit of a goaltending battle during this upcoming training camp session, but it is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's job to lose. Colten Ellis is a valid name to fight for the starting spot, but he also has a stake as the backup, as does Alex Lyon, who is in the mix.
Both UPL and Lyon were solid last season, aiding the Sabres to the playoffs. And once those playoffs began, both saw about the same amount of action, with only Lyon getting one extra game. For the 2026-27 season, there is more reason to give Luukkonen a chance to start than Lyon.
And the Sabres are going to need Luukkonen to be dynamite in net. He has to be a brick wall, and as obvious as it sounds, he is the biggest factor between a repeat playoff appearance and a ping-pong ball in next year's Draft Lottery.
This team is missing one of its top scorers, Alex Tuch, and a top defenseman, Bowen Byram, for this upcoming 84-game gauntlet. Both players were traded during the offseason.
What that could mean is more pressure on the existing core group involving captain Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson to carry more of the load, or the youth have to step up and show out.
No matter which way it goes in front of him, Luukkonen is going to have the final say. His stellar play has to translate to a better performance not only in the regular season, but also in the possibility of more postseason action. A .876 save percentage at the biggest moment of the season, which was his mark in the 2026 playoffs, is not going to cut it.
All eyes are on the crease, and right now, Luukkonen is the most likely No. 1 netminder. Lyon and Ellis have valid claims for it, but you have to think that head coach Lindy Ruff is going to go with UPL next season. At least to start.
If he cannot get it done in the early going of the season, which opens up with four hard-nosed Central Division teams in the first five games, then the debate can begin.
And it's unclear whether another year of a true three-goalie rotation would yield the desired results for Buffalo.
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