Locked On Sabres - Daily Podcast On The Buffalo Sabres

Lindy Ruff met with the media after the Sabres practiced on Friday and along the way mentioned he believes this team has the best center depth he's seen in his entire career, with 9 NHL centermen. Is this the deepest center group we've seen, even more so than the 2006 Sabres? The depth has pushed Jiří Kulich, Konsta Helenius, and Ryan McLeod to the wing for the time being.

Is Kulich capable of playing on the wing? Plus, a breakdown of all the new lines Lindy has put together, including a very interesting Benson, Östlund, and Quinn line. And a Ukk...

With Buffalo Sabres training camp opening up, GM Jarmo Kekäläinen and head coach Lindy Ruff met with the media for the first time this season! Of course, the subject of Connor Hellebuyck came up, who is not reporting to Winnipeg Jets training camp. Neither Jarmo nor Lindy said anything to make it sound like the Sabres are closed to the idea, and they definitely could've.

Plus, Jason Zucker has a sports hernia injury that will impact the opening night lineup. How will lines look without him? Also, an update on Louis Crevier and Lindy unveils where he...

The Buffalo Sabres joined the party as NHL teams are racing to get 8-year contracts in, while they're still allowed to do so, signing Noah Östlund to an eight year extension! This is a big bet on a player who hasn't even played 70 games in the NHL yet, but Östlund is a good bet to take. Lindy Ruff loves him. He's got almost every tool in toolbag. And the cost isn't that much at $6.6M per year. Östlund has shown elite vision and passing, has a good shot, and is already mature and responsible enough to be put in any...

Training camps are about to open around the NHL, including the Buffalo Sabres' camp which have have tons and tons of battles for roles in their lineup before the start of the regular season. The most interesting of which will be who plays on the top line with Tage Thompson. Much of that will depend on whether Tage is a center or wing. If he's a winger, like he was to start last year, Jiri Kulich could be a darkhorse to open the year as the Sabres #1 center. Konsta Helenius is also an option to open the season on...

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off their worst season in years, and it sets up a big question about Auston Matthews' future in Toronto. Will a poor start to the season cause Matthews to push his way out? The Leafs amazingly won the draft lottery and selected Gavin McKenna, who could be their savior.

However, the hire of Jim Hiller as head coach presents a new style of play for Toronto. Likely an ultra-defensive, conservative style of hockey that should keep the Leafs competitive, but limit their ability to win big.

If they decide to...

The Buffalo Sabres are the defending Atlantic Division champions, but the Florida Panthers are still the gold standard of the division. The back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions had a forgettable season in 2025-26 due to countless injuries to Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and several other important players. It didn't help that Sergei Bobrovsky had the worst season of his career behind an injured squad.

The Panthers had a big summer, trading away three 1st round picks to acquire Brady Tkachuk, pairing him with his brother in their forward ranks. The Tkachuk brothers will be...

The Buffalo Sabres soared past the Detroit Red Wings last season, ending their 14-year playoff drought, while the Red Wings collapsed to extend their playoff drought to 10-years, now the longest in the NHL. Detroit now owns the second longest drought in NHL history, and their offseason makes it seem like catching the Sabres record is very realistic.

Dylan Larkin wants out and maybe the only reason he hasn't been traded yet is the Red Wings don't have a General Manager. With Steve Yzerman being fired this offseason, are the Red Wings looking at baseball people to take...

Sneaky Joe picked the Ottawa Senators to win the Atlantic Division last year. They did not. However, they showed to be an elite level team, that just happened to have historically bad goaltending at the same time. The result was Ottawa squeaking into the playoffs and getting swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champions. The thing that did Ottawa in, was the first truly bad season of Linus Ullmark's career. You'd think this season all Ottawa needs is to get a better Ullmark and they'll challenge for the division. But with Brady Tkachuk demanding out this offseason, the Senators...

The Boston Bruins fell to the Buffalo Sabres in the playoffs last season, showing they were not a great team, getting run over in most of the six games of the series. The Bruins defense core could not handle the pressure from the Sabres forwards, and the depth could not go four lines with the Sabres. Their answer? Add three former Sabres. JJ Peterka, Will Borgen, and Connor Clifton. None of which seem to help the Bruins with the things they struggled with against the Sabres. Sneaky Joe believes the Bruins will be closer to the bottom feeder team...

The Buffalo Sabres and Montréal Canadiens might be the best two teams in the league for signing their best players before the salary cap jumped way up, meaning both are set up to be really good for a long time. The Canadiens might not have been a team worthy of the Conference Finals last season, but that doesn't mean their season overall was a fluke. Led by Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Caufield the Habs have a core of incredible young players.

Were the Sabres the better team when the two teams met in the s...

The Buffalo Sabres finished ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division last season by three points, and went one round further. A huge reason for this was the Lightning being the most undisciplined team in the NHL led by their fraud of a head coach Jon Cooper. Will the Lightning improve on this next season? They will need to to finish first in the Atlantic. The Lightning did lose their top defenseman this offseason in Darren Raddysh to Toronto. Is adding 36-year old John Carlson enough to replace him? The Lightning still look like a slow...

Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has gone public with his trade request after months of not seeing a deal get done, as training camp gets closer! Hellebuyck pushing the Jets to get a deal done comes as excellent news to any hockey fan hoping their team acquires him, including Buffalo Sabres fans! The Sabres reportedly came the closest to acquiring him at the NHL Draft, but a deal did not get done. Now that Hellebuyck is making it clear he will not stay in Winnipeg, the price should come down, making a deal more likely.

The...

The Buffalo Sabres have a couple years to think about what they will want to do in the next round of NHL expansion drafts, as it seems to be almost a certainty the league will add a second team in Texas and a team in Atlanta. When that does happen, the Sabres will likely have six easy decisions to make at forward, but the seventh forward to be protected could be really debatable. Jack Quinn, Peyton Krebs, Josh Norris, and Ryan McLeod could all be options to be protected, but multiple will be exposed. Plus, why the Olen Zelleweger...

The Anaheim Ducks are the most vulnerable team in the NHL right now, with just over $9M in salary cap space, and a star forward in Cutter Gauthier turning down contracts worth $13M per season. Are the Ducks going to have to make multiple trades to create room to pay him? Or will they trade Gauthier away? If the latter ends up being possible, the Buffalo Sabres should be VERY AGGRESSIVE sending offers to Pat Verbeek.

Would Daxon Rudolph, Jack Quinn, and a 1st round pick be enough to tempt the Ducks? If possible, Gauthier would provide...

Sabres twitter is besides itself at Zach Benson being ranked 124th among NHL players drafted, many not even in the league yet by one prospects analyst, which is an insane ranking that you have to question a person's motivation after seeing. No Benson is nowhere near that amongst players of his age, but where does he rank on a list of Sabres young guys? Sneaky Joe ranks his top-seven Sabres under-23, including Konsta Helenius, Radim Mrtka, and more. The ceilings for Benson and Helenius are much higher than they've already showed and should be considered the elites of the...

Colten "Chaos" Ellis was claimed on waivers to be the Buffalo Sabres third goaltender last fall, and did very well playing a very inconsistent schedule. His wild, athletic style was effective, and chaotic at times, but with more work on his composure and technique, the Sabres could have a very solid young goalie on their hands. With just 14 starts under his belt, the time is this season to see Ellis become a more regular piece of the goalie picture, rather than just the guy who plays when one of the top two guys are injured. At 25-years old, coming...

Lindy Ruff utilized a goalie rotation last season that got his team to the playoffs and into Round 2. Despite even regular seasons from Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, previous seasons and the playoffs show that Lyon is the best goalie on the Sabres roster. Even if he isn't treated like it. Lyon has been an NHL regular now for four years and his numbers blow UPL's out of the water. Lyon's playoffs were solid in totality, but the lasting image many fans have of him is giving up three consecutive goals to the Canadiens in Game 6, a game the...

The Buffalo Sabres have a pretty clear cut top-five defensemen heading into the 2026-27 season, but who will be the sixth? There will likely be a competition between Zach Metsa and Conor Timmins in training camp and into the regular season. Metsa provides some really solid play at 5-on-5, but offers nothing on special teams. Timmins can be a liability at even-strength, but is a core penalty killer. Which role will the Sabres need more? Was Metsa's incredible run of not allowing a goal last season total luck? Plus, could prospects Radim Mrtka, Daxon Rudolph, or Adam Kleber factor...

Owen Power has always been a polarizing player for Buffalo Sabres fans, ever since he was the 1st overall pick in the NHL Draft. He may have never been more polarizing though then right after the playoffs ended, after great series' against the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. Power played through a horrible ankle sprain, and played well in Games 6 and 7 of the second round. After that run, is it fair to say Owen Power has finally arrived? Sneaky Joe takes a look at Power's 2025-26 season, and how much room he still has to grow as a shooter...

Mattias Samuelsson had one of the most improbable breakouts in Buffalo Sabres history in 2025-26, going from a legitimate buyout candidate that couldn't stay healthy, that also wouldn't hit anybody, to a tremendous top-pair defenseman who was bullying opponents on the ice, and scored more goals than he had in his entire career combined! The Samuelsson story is one of the most incredible we've ever seen. You can now say he is one of the best big-man defensemen in the NHL. The offense showing up for Samuelsson was something he hasn't done since he was 15 years old, and he...

Louis Crevier was not the focal point of the Buffalo Sabres trade with Chicago this offseason, but he has the potential to be the second success story as a throw in to a deal, following in Josh Doan's footsteps from last season. Crevier is a monster defenseman at 6'8'', 228 pounds, who will bury a forward into the boards and in front of the net. He also just happens to have a bomb of a slap shot, while also being one of the fastest skating defenseman in the NHL. Crevier has all the tools you could want as a...

Rasmus Dahlin has become a premier, tier-1 defenseman in the NHL, finishing as a Norris Trophy finalist in 2025-26, following career highs. Dahlin's story of last season was incredible, leading the Buffalo Sabres out of their playoff drought after dealing with so much off the ice with his fiancé. Dahlin's season cements him as the best Sabres defenseman of all-time already. Yes, over Phil Housley and Mike Ramsey. Sneaky Joe goes back and watches all of Dahlin's shifts in Game 7 against the Canadiens, a game the Sabres lost, but Dahlin took over and did almost everything he could to w...

Jiří Kulich missed all but 12 games last season due to a blood clot, making it easy to forget the potential he has for the Buffalo Sabres. It also would be easy to forget how much he struggled early last season, playing with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. So far in his career, Kulich has showed an elite shot release, but has struggled as a playmaker. As a center, it'll be tough for him to thrive without improving that. If Kulich can become a better passer and two-way player, he may have a future as a top-six center on the Sa...

The Buffalo Sabres forward group has more than twelve good options for the 2026-27 season, meaning there will be lots of competition on the fourth line. Sam Carrick, Peyton Krebs, Tyson Kozak, and Justin Danforth will all compete for the fourth line center spot, all providing different skills. Carrick is a faceoff specialist that penalty kills, while Peyton Krebs gives energy and offense. Kozak played great for the Sabres in the postseason, and is the cheapest of all the options. Danforth might be too far back with just a little too much salary committed to him to see making...

Sabres forward Jack Quinn set a career high in goals, assists, points, and pretty much any other statistic you can find in 2025-26, becoming an important piece of the Sabres offensive attack. With limitations still present in his game, Quinn is not yet a part of the Buffalo Sabres core, but he has one year left on his bridge contract to earn that. Quinn has developed into a speedy scorer, that also is one of the best shootout scorers in NHL history, but he does not contribute on the powerplay, and leaves a lot to be desired defensively. Does...

Tage Thompson has been one of the best goal scorers in the NHL over the last four years and you can argue the single best 5-on-5 goal scorer in the NHL. Most of that has been at center, but his future could be as a winger going forward. A look into Tage on the wing shows success when playing with Josh Norris, but otherwise it appears as though he's a better player as a center. However, the Sabres needs might dictate Tage playing winger, with so many options to play center like Konsta Helenius, Noah Östlund, Josh Norris, Ryan M...

Patrick Kane is not coming home, he is going back to the Chicago Blackhawks on a 2-year deal that will pay him $8M per year. Kane's deal likely means he'll go his entire career never playing for his hometown Buffalo Sabres, although most Sabres fans are actually happy about that. How competitive was the Sabres offer? It could've paid Kane more, but likely was not a guaranteed deal. Kane passing on the Sabres means they will need to find a fix to their powerplay somewhere else.

Sneaky Joe breaks down coaching changes Lindy Ruff and Seth Appert...

The best two forwards for the Buffalo Sabres in the playoffs were Zach Benson and Josh Doan. Both scored important goals, made great plays as playmakers, and tirelessly outworked their opponent. Both players did that all season to earn long-term seven year contracts with the Sabres. Now that both are cornerstone players for the team, where do we go from here? Sneaky Joe believes there is an incredibly high offensive ceiling for Benson and defends the idea of him starting next season on the top-line with Tage Thompson. Benson is the best passing forward on the team and pairing...

The Buffalo Sabres have a lot of centers, more than needed to fill a lineup. Two veteran centers in Josh Norris and Ryan McLeod are both very good players, but have weaknesses that make them expendable. With Norris you have a player that simply cannot stay healthy. In McLeod, you have a player that is building a reputation for letting you down in the playoffs. Norris might have more to give as a goal-scorer and a faceoff specialist, and with the injury risk, he seems unlikely to fetch whole value. However, at just $5M, with no trade protection, McLeod...

The Buffalo Sabres and Peyton Krebs have avoided arbitration, agreeing on a four-year, $4.5M extension, almost exactly the same deal that Jack Drury got in Nashville this offseason. With the signing, the Sabres now have a lot of money tied up in bottom six forwards, especially Krebs, Beck Malenstyn, and Jason Zucker. Three players Sneaky Joe believes the Sabres should've been willing to say goodbye to in order to keep Alex Tuch this offseason.

With Krebs now paid good money, will his role expand? Krebs already has become a forward that can play center or winger on...

The Buffalo Sabres haven't made any big moves to get better this offseason, just moderate ones like Olen Zellweger. With the losses of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, can the Sabres win the Stanley Cup with the roster they presently have? Sneaky Joe lays out five things that could propel the Sabres to being a team that could win the Cup. Based around big seasons from the likes of Konsta Helenius, Noah Östlund, Zach Benson, Josh Norris staying healthy, and another good goalie season. Plus, what the Sabres lines should be if opening night was tonight. And why Helenius s...

Peyton Krebs has filed for arbitration with the Buffalo Sabres as a restricted free agent, setting up a very interesting dilemma for the Sabres. Krebs has turned into a very useful player that is versatile enough to play on the top line and the fourth line, playing center or wing. But what is Krebs' role going forward? The Sabres are loaded with fourth line centers already, and you probably want better for Tage Thompson's top line winger, so where does he fit? Without a real need for him, and a career season for Krebs, the cost to keep him...

The Buffalo Sabres sign Olen Zellweger to a new three year extension, at a very team friendly cap hit, giving the Sabres room to still make a swing if they want to. If the Sabres were to get Connor Hellebuyck in a deal, only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would have to go back in the deal to make the salaries work. There is also the matter of Peyton Krebs' contract, which could be heading for arbitration, or even another team offer-sheeting him. What Krebs' contract comes in at will also be a big determining factor on what the Sabres are able...

Free agency day has arrived! And while the biggest names are off the market already, there are still plenty of good veteran ideas out there for the Buffalo Sabres. Starting with Claude Giroux, who even at 38 years old, is a very good top six forward that fits the specific things the Sabres need help at. Powerplay and faceoffs. Giroux is still a great playmaker on a top powerplay unit. He also has led the NHL in faceoff win percentage in each of the last two seasons. You won't find a better player in the NHL in the faceoff circle...

The Buffalo Sabres didn't get a deal done for Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck at the NHL Draft, but by most accounts they came very close. Hellebuyck was not traded anywhere else, there are no rumors connecting him to any other destination, and Elliotte Freidman reports he would waive his no-trade clause for Buffalo. So, the Sabres should still be considered the favorites to land the best goalie in the world. The reported trade demands from Winnipeg included the 4th pick, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Jack Quinn, and another prospect. If this is true, what is a reasonable package that...

Before the NHL Draft on Friday night, Jarmo Kekäläinen swung a trade to help replace the departure of Bowen Byram for the short-term, and maybe the long-term, acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks. Zellweger is a 22-year old, small defenseman, who is one of the fastest blueliners in the entire NHL. He also has the skill to score goals and setup chances in the offensive zone. The perfect type of defenseman for Lindy Ruff's system. Especially if Zellweger plays with Owen Power, he's a prime candidate to show up in Buffalo and breakout in 2026-27. Ze...

Many were expecting the Buffalo Sabres to trade at least one of the 4th and 20th overall picks in the 1st round of the NHL Draft, if not both. On a night that did not feature much in the way of trades, the Sabres stayed put to draft defenseman Daxon Rudolph from the Prince Albert Raiders and center Ilia Morozov of Miami (OH). Rudolph was a surprise to most being the top defenseman picked in the NHL Draft. However, Rudolph was a part of the top tier of blueliners in this draft and a case could've been made for...

With the 20th overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres select Ilia Morozov of Miami University Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Buffalo Sabres take defenceman Daxon Rudolph from the Prince Albert Raiders Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There's an expectation that the Buffalo Sabres will, or are at least trying to, trade their 4th overall pick before they're on the clock in the 1st round on Friday night in Buffalo. However, if the Sabres stay and make the pick, there are tons of great ideas. Sebastian High of Locked On NHL Prospects joins the show for an in-depth look at the top guys likely to be available at #4, including small scrappy center Viggo Björck, top defense prospect Chase Reid, or maybe Swedish phenom Ivar Stenberg if he were to fall a couple of picks. Björc...