To say that the 2025-26 season has gotten off to a rocky start for the Buffalo Sabres would be putting it lightly. They were shut out by the New York Rangers on home ice to start the season and managed just one goal in another rough loss to the Boston Bruins.
In a Columbus Day showdown, the Sabres hosted the mighty Colorado Avalanche at KeyBank Center. The Sabres didn’t show much fight in this one, quietly losing 3-1 to a far superior team.
The Sabres Are Wasting Their First Superstar Since Dominik Hasek
Watch the Sabres for more than a game or two, and you will no doubt begin to feel bad for Rasmus Dahlin. He made a dazzling play early in the game, dancing through defenders with effortless grace but couldn’t finish the play.
The Sabres are running a real risk of him demanding his way out of town in the same way that Jack Eichel did. Losing Dahlin would hurt even more given his quiet calmness and leadership, something that Eichel never really brought during his time with the Sabres.
The Sabres haven’t had a player of this caliber since Dominik Hasek was patrolling the net in Buffalo. Failing to give Dahlin help is more than likely going to lead to his departure, something that would set a franchise that has already been left in the Stone Age behind even further.
There Is a Dearth of Talent on This Team
When comparing the lineups between the two teams, one thing jumps out immediately, which is the lack of talent the Sabres have compared to the Avalanche. Even if Josh Norris weren’t injured yet again, the Sabres would still be facing a talent deficit against the Avalanche.
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The reality is that the Sabres are facing a talent deficit against virtually every team they play. There are talented pieces, sure, but from a top-to-bottom standpoint, the Sabres just can’t line up with most of the teams in the league.
Dahlin stands out. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch do as well. Past that, there isn’t anyone else who really jumps out as a player. Guys have their moments here and there, but the Sabres are largely left hoping their handful of guys can carry things with little in the way of contributions from anyone else. Spoiler alert: that doesn’t work.
Owen Power Is a Bust
Okay, calling him a true “bust” isn’t necessarily fair. He had 40 points last season and is young enough that he could potentially find his game and be something resembling the number one overall pick in the draft. But as it stands, he is so far away from being a top player that “bust” is the closest neighborhood.
Against the Avalanche, calling Power “bad” would be generous. He looked lost defensively, being left with tangled feet on Nathan MacKinnon’s second goal of the game. Early in the second period, he was absolutely buried by Josh Manson while chasing a puck in the offensive zone.
At this stage, it feels like the ceiling for Power is a very good second-pairing offensive defenseman. The offensive skills are there, but not on the level of Dahlin. He isn’t physical, to a point where he gets pushed around despite his 6-foot-6 frame. A reasonably good top-four defenseman is fine, but not when you spent the first overall pick to acquire him.
The Season Is Over 3 Games In
If you are an outsider, it may feel like hyperbole to declare the season over after three games. Welcome to the Sabres Experience. The injuries keep coming to an already thin team that can’t afford it. Add in the stigma of playing for this team, and it is clear the mountain is too high to climb.
The bad part is that Sabres fans may still not get the one thing they have been hoping for after another losing season: the firing of general manager Kevyn Adams. Let’s face it, even if he’s gone, no one worth hiring will touch the smoldering rubble of this franchise. It’s just not fun to be a Buffalo Sabres fan these days.
