Sabres Need Consistently Strong Play

Twenty games into the 2025-26 campaign, the Buffalo Sabres have lacked the consistency needed to be in the playoff conversation in the National Hockey League’s Eastern Conference. The team currently sits in last place in the East and will need to string a significant number of wins together to move up in the standings.

To this point, the ability to sustain strong play on a nightly basis has been elusive.

There have been bright spots.

With the forward ranks depleted due to injuries, Isak Rosen and Noah Ostlund have come up from the Rochester Americans and made strong contributions. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson has returned to the form he displayed early in his career, and goaltending additions Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis have provided strong performances. The momentum of big wins against Florida and Edmonton has been accompanied by home losses to the Blues and the Flames.

“I think we get a little too high on ourselves after a couple of wins,” said forward Tage Thompson. “We think we’re better than we are instead of remembering what got us those wins. You feel good about yourself, you forget the habits and the details that got you the results.”

Injured forwards Jason Zucker and Zach Benson are both close to returning to the lineup. Getting top six talent back should help the Sabres as they will need to be at their best each night regardless of the opposition’s position in the standings.

Buffalo needs to gain every point possible as the season moves on. They will need to avoid taking nights off to have any chance of getting back into the postseason chase.

“I think you just gotta stick with the game of hockey, “ explained Thompson. “It doesn’t matter who you’re playing. You can win on any given night, you can lose on any given night. It doesn’t matter who you line up across. It’s just a lack of respect for the game of hockey. Thinking you’re just going to go out there casual and the puck is going to find you. It’s not the case.”