The Buffalo Sabres lost 3-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night. The team's offensive finishing remained subpar and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who's been the subject of trade rumors, allowed an inexcusable, backbreaking third goal.
Buffalo owns a 4-4-2 record through 10 games and has yet to look like the juggernaut that soared up the NHL standings last season en route to its first playoff appearance since 2011. It's led to a lot of frustration among the fans, and now that's started to trickle down.
WGR 550 morning host Jeremy White and Sabres insider Paul Hamilton engaged in a heated discussion Thursday morning about how much blame UPL deserves:
Jeremy White and Paul Hamilton have a heated exchange debating the narrative surrounding the Sabres goaltending right now... pic.twitter.com/zYEanro8lC
— WGR 550 (@WGR550) October 22, 2026
White and Hamilton have interacted on the airwaves for decades in Western New York. They view the sport quite differently and haven't always agreed on things as a result, but their debate about Luukkonen is perhaps the most intense they've ever had.
The fact is there isn't a perfect answer.
UPL is having a terrible start to the campaign. He's compiled an unacceptable .863 save percentage through eight games (seven starts) and he ranks 48th among 55 NHL goalies in goals saved above average per 60 minutes (-0.75), per Natural Stat Trick.
His play early in the season continues a career-long trend of inconsistency. Every time it seems like he's turned a corner — he posted a .910 SV% in 35 games as part of the team's three-goalie rotation in 2025-26 — his performance dips and he becomes borderline unplayable at times.
So, it's not exactly a surprise Sabres fans are getting antsy with Luukkonen underperforming while there's a three-time Vezina Trophy winner (Connor Hellebuyck) actively seeking a new home.
Yet, is UPL the only reason the Blue and Gold are off to a sluggish start? Of course not. They're creating chances offensively at a pretty decent clip, but their finishing ability has fallen off a cliff. Their power play and penalty kill have both struggled immensely early on, too.
Buffalo is probably a bit fortunate to sit at .500 at this point. It's recorded several multi-goal comebacks to earn points, which could end up being crucial in the long run given the incredible strength of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference as a whole.
The Sabres need to start playing better if they want to keep pace for the next six months, though. Improved play between the pipes is essential, but there's plenty of blame to go around.
For now, let's jump into the latest edition of our Sabres player grades series after a lackluster outing against the Flyers.
Buffalo Sabres fail to impress in loss to the Philadelphia Flyers
Sabres Player Grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Jack Quinn | 8 |
Noah Ostlund | 7.5 |
Zach Benson | 7 |
Olen Zellweger | 6.5 |
Owen Power | 6.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 6 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 5.5 |
Jason Zucker | 5 |
Zach Metsa | 5 |
Josh Doan | 4 |
Jiri Kulich | 3.5 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 3.5 |
Konsta Helenius | 3 |
Peyton Krebs | 3 |
Ryan McLeod | 3 |
Tage Thompson | 2.5 |
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 2.5 |
Louis Crevier | 2 |
Josh Norris | 2 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Jack Quinn
Jack Quinn is the Sabres' most dependable player on a night-to-night basis. Imagine reading that sentence a year or two ago.
The 25-year-old winger recorded a primary assist on Jason Zucker's power-play goal in the second period, Buffalo's only tally of the contest. He was also one of the few players who showed any signs of offensive life over the final 30 minutes.
Quinn's compete level has increased exponentially, which has helped him surge to 10 points (five goals and five helpers) in the first 10 games. He's well on his way toward blowing past last year's career high of 51 points, even if he doesn't maintain the point-per-game pace.
He's trending toward a high-value contract as a restricted free agent next offseason.
Sabres Quick Hits
- Where would Buffalo be without the line of Quinn, Zach Benson and Noah Ostlund? It's a scary thought.
- Credit to Mattias Samuelsson for stepping up to defend Ryan McLeod by fighting Hunter McDonald after a hard hit. It's something Samuelsson probably wouldn't have done a few years ago.
- Zucker scored in his return from injury but his all-around game was understandably sluggish.
- Rasmus Dahlin was also back on the ice for the Sabres but didn't look anywhere near full strength, at least compared to his normal impact.
- Buffalo is running out of options with Josh Norris, who's failing to generate any offensive momentum no matter where he lands on the lineup card.
- The Sabres begin a four-game road trip Saturday night when they visit Capital One Arena to face off with old friend Alex Tuch and the Washington Capitals.
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