Sabres Training Camp 2026

[PromoTheRobot]

30 minutes ago, Stads said:

Hellebuyck is getting hurt?

Butthurt maybe.

[dudacek]

Lindy leaning toward Tage starting at centre, saying that's where he played when the Sabres were at their best.

Jarmo definitely emphasized the short camp means the focus will be on getting the starters ready for opening night at the expense of camp battles and looking at depth guys.

I think we will get a very good insight of where Lindy's head is in terms of his lineup very early on.

[That Aud Smell]

21 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Here we go again. 

More Public Enemy talk!

(See my post in the offseason thread.)

[dudacek]

Lindy also talking about locking in his 1st PP early and sticking with it.

Said they studied effective PPs and ineffective ones and decided that they need to put greater emphasis on plays down low.

Sounds like Benson and Doan will be part of that first unit for sure with that in mind.

And if I heard him correctly, Jack Quinn as well.

[oddoublee]

Just now, dudacek said:

Lindy also talking about locking in his 1st PP early and sticking with it.

Said they studied effective PPs and ineffective ones and decided that they need to put greater emphasis on plays down low.

Sounds like Benson and Doan will be part of that first unit for sure with that in mind.

And if I heard him correctly, Jack Quinn as well.

That is good to hear. It was my number one complaint with their strategy last year, a refusal to setup plays from behind the goal line. Everything always worked it's way back to the blue line. Sometimes that's good...but not every time. 

[DarthEbriate]

6 minutes ago, oddoublee said:

That is good to hear. It was my number one complaint with their strategy last year, a refusal to setup plays from behind the goal line. Everything always worked it's way back to the blue line. Sometimes that's good...but not every time. 

It's why Zucker was their best PP scorer - he was the one guy who worked the puck below the blue line and went hard to the net in '24-'25-'26. Benson/Doan followed suit and the PP... got a bit better.

From the Kulich thread -- Jiri likes to camp out on the doorstep, too. Or, at least, is very quick to sink down to the crease after first looking for the shot from the right dot.

10 minutes ago, dudacek said:

And if I heard him correctly, Jack Quinn as well.

Thus far, Quinn has not gone low very much if my memory serves. If he can add this to his PP game, good things should arise.

Edited September 16 by DarthEbriate

[Taro T]

19 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Lindy also talking about locking in his 1st PP early and sticking with it.

Said they studied effective PPs and ineffective ones and decided that they need to put greater emphasis on plays down low.

Sounds like Benson and Doan will be part of that first unit for sure with that in mind.

And if I heard him correctly, Jack Quinn as well.

To the bolded: hal-le-####in-lu-jah!!!!  (Have NO EXPECTATION that they won't do that in a manner that suggests this year's PP was also drawn up by an adolescent with a brain injury just like last year's appeared; but, it's Training Camp Season and hope springs eternal.)

And Benson and Doan SHOULD be given an opportunity on that 1st unit.  They can win battles along the boards when circumstances get them there and they can make plays in front of the net with limited time and space.  Doan down low; Benson in the bumper; with a ton of movement thoughout.

Would rather have a lefty out there rather than Quinn and preferably one that can win board battles, again, rather than Quinn, such as Norris or maybe Kulich; but the other 4 should be useful.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Zucker to miss start of season with a hernia.  Crevier had shoulder surgery but expected to be ready. 
 

Could this help Helenius make the team?

Edited September 16 by GASabresIUFAN

[Fansince70]

21 hours ago, dudacek said:

My best guesses where the battles are:

1) Quinn, Doan, Benson: who gets the bump-up from last year's 15 minutes as the team looks to fill Tuch's 19 hard minutes a night

2) Östlund, Kulich, Helenius, Krebs: who plays with Thompson, who plays centre, do they all dress opening night?

3) Danforth, Carrick, Kozak: who is the odd man (men?) out if everyone is healthy?

4) Crevier, Zellweger, Timmins: who is Power's partner?

5) Gilbert, Johnson: can either unseat Metsa as the 7th D?

6) Goalie: will they roll with last year's setup, or will someone shake things up?

 

I'm liking Crevier with Power; the former assuming a stay-at-home role that allows the latter to play more aggressive offensively and at the same time making that pairing a bit more nasty than Power-Byram was.  Could be dynamic.  

[SABRES 0311]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Zucker to miss start of season with a hernia.  Crevier had shoulder surgery but expected to be ready. 
 

Could this help Helenius make the team?

Peter’s and Rivet were talking about a veteran player being injured yesterday. Must be Zucker they eluded to.

[dudacek]

23 hours ago, dudacek said:

My best guesses where the battles are:

1) Quinn, Doan, Benson: who gets the bump-up from last year's 15 minutes as the team looks to fill Tuch's 19 hard minutes a night

Lindy suggesting all three will split the minutes

2) Östlund, Kulich, Helenius, Krebs: who plays with Thompson, who plays centre, do they all dress opening night?

Reading into Lindy and Jarmo's pressers, looks like Tage will be the centre. Östlund seems to be in the lead out of the 3 kids, Kulich is being watched closely for rust, and both he and Konsta are getting opportunity due to Zucker injury.

3) Danforth, Carrick, Kozak: who is the odd man (men?) out if everyone is healthy?

No insight into the question, but apparently it was uncertain if Danforth would even be ready for camp, but apparently is

4) Crevier, Zellweger, Timmins: who is Power's partner?

No insight into this one either, but Crevier's health is in question

5) Gilbert, Johnson: can either unseat Metsa as the 7th D?

Both men made it pretty clear it will be very hard for someone to force his way into the lineup

6) Goalie: will they roll with last year's setup, or will someone shake things up?

Looks like a continuation of last year is Plan A, but they're open to (hoping for?) somebody forcing a shakeup

 

 

[dudacek]

Benson Tage Doan

Quinn McLeod Kulich

Östlund Norris Helenius

Krebs Carrick Malenstyn

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Zucker to miss start of season with a hernia.  Crevier had shoulder surgery but expected to be ready. 
 

Could this help Helenius make the team?

Well this defers the decision of sending one of Helenius or Kulich down to Rochester.

So did Zucker get this hernia in training? Seems weird to me if he got it playing he wouldn't have had the surgery right away and had the summer to recover. 

[#freejame]

Just now, PerreaultForever said:

Well this defers the decision of sending one of Helenius or Kulich down to Rochester.

So did Zucker get this hernia in training? Seems weird to me if he got it playing he wouldn't have had the surgery right away and had the summer to recover. 

Didn’t it take Greenway like a year to solve his sports hernia issue?

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well this defers the decision of sending one of Helenius or Kulich down to Rochester.

So did Zucker get this hernia in training? Seems weird to me if he got it playing he wouldn't have had the surgery right away and had the summer to recover. 

Who knows.  Kulich was never going down unless he isn’t healthy.  According to Baker, the Sabres see Kulich as a 30 goal scorer eventually.  

[tom webster]

2 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Didn’t it take Greenway like a year to solve his sports hernia issue?

Sports hernias can be very tricky. There was another Sabre years ago whom I vaguely recall missing three quarters of the season. I wish I could remember who. 

[Stads]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Butthurt maybe.

I think you can put that in the "definitely" pile

[pastajoe]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

Benson Tage Doan

Quinn McLeod Kulich

Östlund Norris Helenius

Krebs Carrick Malenstyn

Kulich is better at center.

Benson Norris Tage

Quinn Kulich Doan

Östlund McLeod Helenius

Krebs Carrick Malenstyn

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, #freejame said:

Didn’t it take Greenway like a year to solve his sports hernia issue?

Was that what he had? 

It's basically a torn groin from twisting, turning etc. and you can live with it (and the pain) or you get surgery to reinforce the muscle area. It's not a true hernia as there is no actual full tear or hole. I suppose he didn't have surgery but if he did it's supposed to be a few months to fully recover. 

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Who knows.  Kulich was never going down unless he isn’t healthy.  According to Baker, the Sabres see Kulich as a 30 goal scorer eventually.  

I see him as that eventually too I just am not sure he'll have his game back right away after missing so much time. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

FYI - On Baker’s podcast he said the Sabres will be doing line rushes today and thus he expects to have a better idea of what Lindy’s current thinking is on line pairings.  

[PromoTheRobot]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

FYI - On Baker’s podcast he said the Sabres will be doing line rushes today and thus he expects to have a better idea of what Lindy’s current thinking is on line pairings.  

Really happy Baker Fairburn are back making pods. They are one of the best.

[LGR4GM]

11 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

FYI - On Baker’s podcast he said the Sabres will be doing line rushes today and thus he expects to have a better idea of what Lindy’s current thinking is on line pairings.  

G2k. I was also thinking we'll see the pp units. 

[LGR4GM]

 

[That Aud Smell]

13 hours ago, tom webster said:

Sports hernias can be very tricky. There was another Sabre years ago whom I vaguely recall missing three quarters of the season. I wish I could remember who. 

i feel like the first time i ever heard the term was with briere. is that an accurate memory?

and now i'd making me nuts to recall the player you have in mind. there was a guy who was looking a bit ineffective, hesitant and there was speculation around a sports hernia.

was it mittelstadt? 

no.

dammit.

[That Aud Smell]

Just now, That Aud Smell said:

i feel like the first time i ever heard the term was with briere. is that an accurate memory?

and now i'd making me nuts to recall the player you have in mind. there was a guy who was looking a bit ineffective, hesitant and there was speculation around a sports hernia.

was it mittelstadt? 

no.

dammit.

i think the briere thing is made up. the internet doesn't agree with me.

but there was a player who seemed to be nursing something -- from recent memory. and speculation was a sports hernia.

greenway?