The Buffalo Sabres sit seven points out of a playoff spot, and they are the only team in the Eastern Conference to sit below the .500 point-percentage mark. With 12-14-4 record (28 points) and on pace for 77 points, things are not looking so good.
The team has many issues, from goaltending — which includes a three-goaltender rotation between Colten Ellis, Alex Lyon, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen — to having three wins on the road in 14 games. Let’s start with the issue everyone has been discussing for most of the season.
Three-Goaltender Rotation
The Sabres have been running with a three-goaltender rotation for the entire season after they claimed Ellis off waivers from the St. Louis Blues right before the regular season started. There are a few reasons this rotation is a significant cause for concern and will be a reason the Sabres’ playoff drought extends to 15 seasons.
None of the goaltenders can truly get into a rhythm, which will hurt the team in the short and long term. Not having a consistent goaltender and “riding with the hot hand” is not a recipe for success, especially when, most of the time, there’s one goaltender who doesn’t play for at least two weeks.
Lyon entered the game in relief of Luukkonen in the Sabres’ 7-4 loss against the Calgary Flames on Monday night. It was his first appearance since Nov. 28, a span of 10 days. If he were simply the backup in a regular two-goaltender tandem, that would not be an issue as a team can only dress a maximum of two per game.
The Sabres have three goaltenders who haven’t consistently kept the puck out of their net; they have 106 goals against this season, the third most in the league, trailing only the Vancouver Canucks and the Blues.
Sabres’ Struggles on the Road Continue
The Sabres have a road record of 3-9-2 this season, which is the worst in the league, and none of their three wins came in regulation. The Sabres’ last road regulation win came on April 1, 2025; that’s embarrassing.
If the Sabres played all 82 games on the road, their record would come out to 18-53-11 (47-point pace). If the Sabres played all 82 games on home ice, their record would come out to 46-26-10 (102 point pace). They’re a much different team depending on where they’re playing, and they are in the midst of a six-game road trip in which they are 1-3-0 so far and have been outscored 19-11.
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The Sabres also play 10 of their 14 December games on the road. Something needs to give if they want to consistently win hockey games away from Buffalo. Their even strength play on the road has actually been pretty good, they’ve just been unlucky. However, nothing matters in the NHL besides winning hockey games, so if them playing so well even strength isn’t leading to wins, then it does not matter.
Noah Ostlund and Isak Rosen Are NOT on the NHL Roster Full-Time
I’ve already written an article explaining why Noah Ostlund and Isak Rosen deserve to be on the NHL roster full time. When the Sabres were dealing with numerous injuries, we saw both Ostlund and Rosen recalled from the American Hockey League (AHL) and take on prominent roles in the Sabres lineup.
Both were trusted to play top-six minutes, Rosen had time on the first power play unit, and Ostlund got some minutes on the second power play unit. Both of them were effective in their roles as Rosen got the bulk of the top-six minutes and recorded seven points in 11 games, while Ostlund, who did inject some energy on the fourth line for a couple of games, recorded six points in 20 games.
Another reason they should be on the roster is that I don’t think it does them any good to dominate the AHL. Ostlund has 10 points in seven AHL games, while Rosen has 19 points in 13 games. Plus, with the current roster construction, they would be significant upgrades over Jordan Greenway and Peyton Krebs, who have combined for 11 points in 46 games compared to Rosen and Ostlund’s 13 points in 31 games.
The Sabres are not out of the playoff race yet; however, as each day passes, they seem to keep getting further and further away from the postseason cutoff. They need to start stringing together wins now, and by that, I mean go on a five-plus game winning streak to really insert themselves back in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
