While James van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Travis Hamonic won't wow fans, they're still a patchwork group that will make a solid team like the Detroit Red Wings better. Not to mention John Gibson, who's the consensus "prize" acquisition from the summer.
Yeah, the Wings will need to give it all they got to even land a wild card spot with this so-so lineup. But, take one look at the Sabres lineup projection via Daily Faceoff, and it's not hard to tell which team looks stronger on paper.
Forwards
What jumps out at me is the Sabres projected first line, with two unproven points producers in Zach Benson and Jiri Kulich. Yeah, Tage Thompson's always a threat, and his presence will make Benson and Kulich better. But will they be gamebreakers? Probably not, and it's, at this point, one of the weakest top lines in hockey.
The trio of Jason Zucker Josh Norris, and Alex Tuch boasts more potential and proven talent. Zucker and Tuch will score, and if Norris stays healthy, this will be the Sabres strong suit, no doubt. If I'm the Wings, this is the line I don't want to face while on the penalty kill.
The third line might even brim with more potential than the Norris Line, especially with Ryan McLeod centering it. He's one of the best and most underrated skaters in hockey, but there are two potential-laden question marks lining up alongside him. Josh Doan and Jack Quinn have produced in the past, but last season, they looked fringe. If, and it's a big if, they can produce, the Sabres might have a decent top nine.
The fourth line won't do anything in the way of production. If they combined for even 50 points this season, I'd be surprised. But wow, if the Sabres want to intimidate opponents, the Krebs line's gonna be one of the hardest-hitting lines in hockey. Jordan Greenway, should he stay healthy, will be a notorious hitter, while Peyton Krebs and Justin Danforth provide gritty play.
Overall, I don't overtly like this forward group, but I don't hate it, either. The first line's a migraine-inducer, but the Norris and McLeod lines could be one of the better second and third groups in hockey should they stick together. The fourth line won't score, but they'll bring a much-needed edge.
Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
Zach Benson | Jiri Kulich | Tage Thompson |
Jason Zucker | Josh Norris | Alex Tuch |
Josh Doan | Ryan McLeod | Jack Quinn |
Jordan Greenway | Peyton Krebs | Justin Danforth |
Beck Malenstyn |
Defensemen/Goalies
Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|
Bowen Byram | Rasmus Dahlin |
Owen Power | Michael Kesselring |
Mattias Samuelsson | Conor Timmins |
Jacob Bryson | Zac Jones |
No. 1 Goaltender: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | No. 2 Goaltender: Alex Lyon |
If Bowen Byram proves he can stay healthy again this season, the Sabres first pairing's gonna haunt opponents. Rasmus Dahlin's one of the best in the game, and Bryam's one of the league's brightest up-and-coming blueliners.
Owen Power may not look like a former first-overall pick yet, but he's far from a bust. Power's given the Sabres solid play since he became a full-timer in 2022-23, and Michael Kesselring, despite the poor trade involving JJ Peterka, is a strong, defense-first complement.
I want to like Mattias Samuelsson, because when healthy, he's one of the league's best impact players when you don't measure straight-up production. But he's out of action so often that there's a good chance the Blue and Gold keep Jacob Bryson and Zac Jones on standby. Meanwhile, Conor Timmins brings a hitter's mentality, and he's one who can put up the blocks when opponents think they got a scoring lane.
At netminder, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's still a mystery, and he needs to look more like what the Sabres thought they had two seasons ago when he put up a 0.910 save percentage. Wings fans are familiar with Alex Lyon, who was up and down in Detroit, and will take on a pure No. 2 rule in Buffalo.
Overall, the Sabres have talent on the blue line, especially if Byram and Power take another step, and if Kesselring proves he's a good fit. Timmins was a savvy pickup, and Samuelsson can give the Sabres game-changing hits. If he can just stay healthy, this will be one of the league's better defensive units.
The Sabres have potential, but are still unproven
Two years ago, the Sabres looked like they were poised to make a run at the playoffs. Here in 2025, I'm in the "Yeah, they got potental" crowd, but next to Tage Thompson and Rssmus Dahlin, there's hardly a player here who's shown they can play consistent hockey at an elite level for multiple seasons.
Jason Zucker and Alex Tuch are solid contributors, and Ryan McLeod's also at that level. But to make the playoffs or even find yourself in outer orbit come the playoff race? Yeah, the Sabres have a lot of work to do if they plan on taking another step this season.
The Red Wings may not look anywhere near like the best team in hockey, but I'm giving them the edge over Buffalo.