One of the cool things about the NHL is that it is a diverse league. Players from around the globe converge each season to create the best hockey league on the planet. Each roster has a mix of players from Europe, Scandinavia, and North America.
When looking at the Buffalo Sabres, the question becomes, “Who is the best Sabre from each country?” There are four nations currently represented by the Sabres roster – the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland – so let’s take a look to see who is best representing their home country for the Sabres.
United States – Tage Thompson
This was a tight race with linemate Alex Tuch, but it’s hard not to choose the lanky sniper. Tage Thompson scores goals at a similar clip to Sabres Hall-of-Famer Alexander Mogilny.
Brought in as a result of the Ryan O’Reilly trade in 2018, Thompson has become a star. In his last four seasons, he has 158 goals, including a 47-goal 2022-23 campaign. After scoring 44 goals last season, many feel like Thompson will finally cross the vaunted 50-goal threshold.
Canada – Ryan McLeod
This is another tight race, and one could argue that defenseman Bowen Byram is the best player from the Great White North. Ryan McLeod, brought in thanks to a summer trade for prospect Matt Savoie last year, excelled in his first season in Buffalo.
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McLeod set career highs across the board – 20 goals, 33 assists, 53 points, 28 even-strength points, three shorthanded goals, 52.3 faceoff percentage. More importantly, he finally provided the Sabres with a viable two-way threat in the middle of the lineup. He will be counted on heavily as the Sabres attempt to get back into the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons.
Sweden – Rasmus Dahlin
In all technicalities, Rasmus Dahlin is the only Swede on the roster. Mattias Samuelsson has the heritage, but he was born in New Jersey. Even if there were 100 Swedes on the roster, it is likely that Dahlin would be the best of the bunch.
Dahlin is a superstar defenseman in every sense and makes the Sabres’ defense better as a whole. He has been one of the lone bright spots for the Sabres in recent years, and some even have him poised to claim his first Norris Trophy as soon as this season. Dahlin is every bit the franchise defender the Sabres hoped he would be when they selected him first overall in the 2018 NHL Draft.
Finland – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Like Dahlin, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is here on a technicality, given that he is the only Finn on the Sabres roster. Unlike Dahlin, Luukkonen – affectionately known as UPL – still has a lot to prove. His breakout 2023-24 season showed what he could be, but a step backward in 2024-25 leaves many wondering.
Luukkonen is still the No. 1 goaltender, but how long that will be remains to be seen. With Devon Levi progressing in the American Hockey League (AHL), Luukkonen will need to regain his form if he hopes to hold off the promising youngster. A bounce back from Luukkonen would also go a long way toward getting the Sabres back into the playoffs.
Interesting Roster Notes
Across the NHL, we are seeing greater diversity than ever before. Rosters used to be dominated by Canadians, with a smattering of other nations filling out the rest. Looking at the Sabres, however, the gap has closed. The Sabres have 10 Canadians as well as 10 Americans in their group, with a lone Finn and Swede to complement them.
The Sabres also have a noteworthy history when it comes to European players making an impact. Mogilny, Dominik Hasek, Thomas Vanek, Alexei Zhitnik, and Miroslav Satan are just a few of the more notable European Sabres to leave a mark on the franchise.
