The Buffalo Sabres just enjoyed a miraculous run in 2025-26, and eyes are set on being a back-to-back playoff contender in 2026-27. With five members in the 20-plus goal club last season, the goalscoring from a number of different sources was a big help.
They also had two members who were a part of the 30-goal club, but there is an interesting catch with this one. One of those two players is in Washington, getting ready to assist the Capitals toward a playoff run of their own in Alex Tuch. That leaves Tage Thompson and his 41-goal campaign as the only player returning to get over that hurdle last season.
Could things be different in 2026-27, and who could join Thompson in getting over that 30-goal plateau? Let's talk about it.
Guaranteed to break 30 goals
Barring injury, Thompson will blow past 30 goals and head on up to 40, maybe even sniffing 50. He is as elite as they come at sniping pucks, and that is that. He has ripped 40+ goals in three of the last four seasons, and you can count on him getting there again in 2026-27.
Alongside him, there is a very good feeling about another member of the Sabres who could make the leap to this kind of milestone, and this team really needs it for another potential playoff run. Josh Doan jumps off the page after his 25-goal showing last season, and he has a brand new contract just under $7 million AAV to give him the proper motivation.
Very likely to break 30 goals
Jack Quinn is another strong possibility to reach the 30-goal mark in 2026-27, as he got pretty close last season at 20 goals. He will be up for a new contract at the end of next season, and if he wants to continue to ride this train in Buffalo, he has to show general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen that he belongs.
Looking at how the landscape of the NHL is changing, and Restricted Free Agents are getting more and more money than before, Quinn could cash in with a stellar season. Money motivates.
Zach Benson has to really work for it, as his playmaking ability does not warrant a goal-scoring showcase. But he should not be counted out just because of that, given his offensive upside. Benson has the entire city of Buffalo zeroed in on his high expectations, and it is unclear if he will be able to live up to them.
His Junior Hockey career saw him in this kind of territory, but there are plenty of high-end goal scorers around him on the first line that No. 6 might not have as much of a chance.
Small chance to break 30 goals
Wouldn't it be fun to see Rasmus Dahlin, a Norris Trophy third-place finisher in 2025-26, pot 30 goals next season just to outshine every other defenseman in the NHL? With 19 goals last season and another four more in the playoffs to give him a total of 23 in an extended season, there is an outside chance.
Realistically, the last but not-so-closest option that could potentially break the 30-goal plateau would be Peyton Krebs. Looking around the league, getting 200+ goals and also notching more than 30 goals in a season is not impossible, as Tom Wilson in Washington, Brady Tkachuk now in Florida, and J.T. Miller with the New York Rangers have frequently done this. Can Krebs join that list of fantastic players in 2026-27?
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