The Buffalo Sabres are at an interesting point in the 2025-26 season. If you told Sabres fans that they would have been ahead of the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs in the standings, they would have no doubt jumped at that opportunity. That is the case, but it only equates to being 14th in the Eastern Conference standings.
While much of the national discourse surrounding the Sabres is about who could be traded, the season isn’t completely lost yet. Monday night’s dominant 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets is indicative of the good things they do and possibly what they could be.
Welcome Back, Josh Norris!
You can’t talk about this game without noting the return of Josh Norris to the lineup. Norris lasted all of one game before returning to the injured list, a supposed shoulder injury keeping him out since the very opening night of the season.
Norris wasted no time making an impact in his return. He scored in the first period, putting in a rebound to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead heading into the second period. He would score again in the third period, a nifty little move on the backhand while on a breakaway.
When Norris is healthy, he is a difference-maker. He has elite speed and can be a 30-goal player. Until he proves otherwise, his entire reputation is going to be his injury history. If the Sabres are going to make a push, they need players like Norris to be in the lineup and making an impact.
Pekka-Luukkonen Finally Emerging?
Though their biggest issue may be their inability to win on the road, the Sabres have something of an issue with who their top goaltender is. To begin the season, Alex Lyon was most impressive. At times, Colten Ellis has been most impressive. But now, it looks like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen may be finally emerging as “the guy.”
Related: Sabres Need to Make a Choice on Their Goaltending
It took some time for Luukkonen to find his groove since returning from injury, but his last four starts have illustrated promise. He is 3-1 in that stretch, the only iffy start being a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins the night before Thanksgiving (on the road, naturally).
Luukkonen is currently on pace to have his best goals against average ever (2.51). It would be nice to see him get above the .900 mark in terms of save percentage, but Luukkonen is showing some of the confidence and cool demeanor that made him a standout in the 2023-24 season.
Finally Finding Their Health?
While it is tough to excuse their position in the standings, there are some minor bright spots to consider. For one, they are just six points out of fourth place in the Eastern Conference. A little run and they could easily find themselves in the playoff race in no time. The other is that they are among the leaders in man games lost this season, yet they are still playing .500 hockey.
A few important pieces are still missing and likely won’t be back for a while in Michael Kesselring and Jiri Kulich. That said, Norris is back. Zach Benson is back. Jason Zucker is back. This is as healthy as they have been all season long and it comes at an important time.
The Sabres had thin depth coming into the season and it has hampered their ability to climb the standings so far. But playing .500 with so many crucial injuries and goaltending questions is something to be positive about. With most of the lineup back, now is the time to put those excuses aside and build momentum.
A Pivotal Stretch Ahead
This is a critical stretch for the Sabres. The lineup is as healthy as it has been since opening night. They face a stretch in which they will play the Jets again, the Philadelphia Flyers (twice), the Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken, and Vancouver Canucks. Those are all teams that are struggling, and the Sabres need to show that they can beat the “bad” teams.
If they can come out of the next 10 games with six or more wins, it could bode well for the remainder of the season. There isn’t a truly dominant team in the Eastern Conference, and the Sabres are just three points back of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Now is the time to put together a run and make themselves a threat to make the playoffs.
