Sabrespace Season Predictions 2026-27

[DarthEbriate]

What are your predictions for the season? (Using the @GASabresIUFAN format as it worked last season.)

 

1) Sabres point total?

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? 

3) Sabres leading goal scorer?

4) Sabres leader in total points?

5) Sabres MVP?

6) Sabres ROY?

7) Best off-season acquisition?

8.) Worst off-season acquisition?

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative)

10) Breakout player?

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards?

12) Unsung hero?

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season?

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline?

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline?

16) Other bold predictions?

17) Any other thoughts?

[...]

Is there a prize?

[GASabresIUFAN]

1) Sabres point total? 110

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes and win the division 

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Tage

4) Sabres leader in total points? Dahlin

5) Sabres MVP?  Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY? Helenius - is there another rookie?

7) Best off-season acquisition? Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition? Grzelcyk

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative) - Ellis plays like a No. 1 goalie

10) Breakout player? - Quinn 

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? Dahlin - he’ll win the Norris; Ruff - the Jack Adams

12) Unsung hero? Kulich  - His game gets better and better with each passing week.

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season? Danforth

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? No

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Buyers, they’ll need a depth D again.

16) Other bold predictions?  Despite injuries, the Sabres play solidly to start the season.  Norris actually stays healthy and Helenius plays so well, they have to trade Danforth when Zucker returns

17) Any other thoughts?  

7 minutes ago, ... said:

Is there a prize?

A cookie

[oddoublee]

1) Sabres point total? 97

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? No

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Tage, 39

4) Sabres leader in total points? Tage, 74

5) Sabres MVP? Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY? Helenius...does anyone else qualify?

7) Best off-season acquisition? Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition? Zellweger...his production will disappoint fans, but he will be 'fine'

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative) That they could not retain at least one of byram or tuch

10) Breakout player? Östlund - 45-50 points is possible

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? No

12) Unsung hero? Krebs. Hard to call him unsung bc so many eyes will be on him - but he will slide up and down the lines as needed

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season? UPL as domino to a bigger trade. 

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? Yes

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Sellers, but conservative

16) Other bold predictions? Sabres get off to slow start and then proceed to play .500 hockey the remainder of the season, frustrating fans and calls for Lindy's head. 

17) Any other thoughts? Loved last season...my gut tells me this will be a long one. 

[DarthEbriate]

1) Sabres point total? 101

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Quinn

4) Sabres leader in total points? Benson

5) Sabres MVP? Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY? Helenius (are there even any other options?)

7) Best off-season acquisition? Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition? Grzelcyk (this isn't a bad thing)

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative) +Crevier

10) Breakout player? Ellis

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? Not this year. Dahlin finishes 4th. Benson gets Selke recognition, but not top-5 as he's still too young.

12) Unsung hero? Carrick. Bonus: Luukkonen

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season? Mrtka - if prospects count; McLeod if not

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? Yes

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Buyers

16) Other bold predictions? The team is able to overcome a TNT injury because the kids are alright and… Norris skates in over 64 games.

17) Any other thoughts? The Atlantic is a buzzsaw of constricted standings points as TOR and FLA return to competitiveness and has only 4 teams make the playoffs. Each Atlantic team has multiple "we lost to Calgary?!?"-type showings because they're so amped up for intradivisonal matchups.

Brady Tkachuk scores 30 goals and is lauded as a superstar, but it takes him 325 shots to do so, removing shot share from the shot-efficient Barkov and Marchand, and hyper-efficient Reinhart. Marchand and Reinhart see their usual goal numbers decline a bit too much. Does HC Maurice figure it out in time and bump B Tkachuk down to the 3rd line? He does not and FLA misses the playoffs by 3 points.

Edited September 29 by DarthEbriate

[DarthEbriate]

10 hours ago, ... said:

Is there a prize?

The prize was the goals we celebrated along the way.

[SabreFinn]

1) Sabres point total? 96

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes, Wild card 2

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Quinn and Tage both 35

4) Sabres leader in total points? Dahlin, 79

5) Sabres MVP? Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY? Helenius, only one playing 

7) Best off-season acquisition? Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition? Grzelcyk

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative) 

10) Breakout player? Östlund 

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? Dahlin for Norris 

12) Unsung hero? Had Danforth here last season and he had a season ending injury but we made the playoffs.  So I go with Danforth again. Logical? No.

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season? I've mentioned earlier in threads that I believe UPL will be traded to Minnesota for Gustavsson, that is the only trade I can come up with at the moment. Probably mid December with us in sixt place.

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? Yes

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Same procedure as last year, depth pieces.

16) Other bold predictions? We beat Canes in the first round, then get sweapt by Caps. Caps beat Florida in conference finals, a brutal series. Colorado get another Cup. Babcock breaks Savoie mentally and gets fired two weeks before playoffs. 

17) Any other thoughts? Makar might be close to Coffey and Leetch numbers in points. 

[steveoath]

1) Sabres point total? 99

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Tage

4) Sabres leader in total points? Tage

5) Sabres MVP? Dahlia

6) Sabres ROY? Helenius

7) Best off-season acquisition? Crevice

8.) Worst off-season acquisition? Sheary

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative) Norris will play more than 75 games  

10) Breakout player? Östlund

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? Dahlin Norris finalist

12) Unsung hero? Power

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season? Jack Quinn

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? Yes, not major splashes  

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Buyers

16) Other bold predictions? Benson hits 20 goals, and out points Doan 

17) Any other thoughts? Go hockey. 

[thewookie1]

1) Sabres point total? 101

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes 

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Thompson - 44

4) Sabres leader in total points?

Dahlin - 90

5) Sabres MVP?

Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY?

Helenius

7) Best off-season acquisition?

Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition?

Grzelcyk

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative)

Crevier ends up a good partner for Power

10) Breakout player?

Östlund

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards?

Dahlin & Benson receives multiple votes in Selke voting

12) Unsung hero?

Malenstyn becomes even more effective on the PK and scores a few more highlight reel goals.

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season?

???

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline?

Depth pieces

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline?

Buyers

16) Other bold predictions?

Benson gets to 45 Assists

Multiple players try to grow beards but fail

17) Any other thoughts?

Lets go Buffalo!

Edited September 29 by thewookie1

[LGR4GM]

13 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

What are your predictions for the season? (Using the @GASabresIUFAN format as it worked last season.)

 

1) Sabres point total?

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? 

3) Sabres leading goal scorer?

4) Sabres leader in total points?

5) Sabres MVP?

6) Sabres ROY?

7) Best off-season acquisition?

8.) Worst off-season acquisition?

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative)

10) Breakout player?

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards?

12) Unsung hero?

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season?

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline?

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline?

16) Other bold predictions?

17) Any other thoughts?

1) Sabres point total? 101pts

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Thompson

4) Sabres leader in total points? Dahlin

5) Sabres MVP? Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY? Östlund (does he count?) Helenius if not

7) Best off-season acquisition? Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition? Grzelyck (SP?)

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative) Sabres PP is top 15

10) Breakout player? Benson

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? Dahlin, Norris. Benson, Selke. 

12) Unsung hero? Owen Power

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season? Grzelyck

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? Yes

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Buyers

16) Other bold predictions? Buffalo trades their 1st round pick before the trade deadline

17) Any other thoughts? Nope

[SABRES 0311]

1) Sabres point total? 98

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? Thompson

4) Sabres leader in total points? Dahlin

5) Sabres MVP? Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY? Helenius

7) Best off-season acquisition? Zellweger

8.) Worst off-season acquisition? Gryz-something

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative) PP does better

10) Breakout player? Quinn

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? No

12) Unsung hero? Ellis

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season? UPL

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? No

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Buyers

16) Other bold predictions? Benson learns how to finish and hits 20 goals.

17) Any other thoughts? Norris plays 65 games.

[LGR4GM]

Benson's main problem is not finishing but shot volume. A 10% shooter with 200 shots gets you 20g. 

[nfreeman]

1). Sabres point total? 106 pts

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes

3) Sabres leading goal scorer? TT

4) Sabres leader in total points? TT

5) Sabres MVP? Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY?  Helenius

7) Best off-season acquisition? Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition?  Sheary 

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative)  UPL and the goalie rotation are very good again 

10) Breakout player? Östlund

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards? Dahlin — finalist for Norris; Helenius — finalist for Calder 

12) Unsung hero? UPL

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season?  Mrkta if Amerks are eligible or Mehtsa if not

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline? Yes (deadline shopping)

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Buyers

16) Other bold predictions? Norris will miss 35+ games.  Quinn will have a big year and sign an extension.  Lindy will stick with the goalie rotation in the playoffs this year and it will work.

17) Any other thoughts? This is a crossroads season — we’ll find out whether the Sabres are all the way back to being a perennially good franchise as opposed to a one-year flash.  

[Ctaeth]

12 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Benson's main problem is not finishing but shot volume. A 10% shooter with 200 shots gets you 20g. 

someone that is less confident in their shot will shoot less and only when it is a better chance

[dudacek]

On 9/28/2026 at 8:15 PM, DarthEbriate said:

What are your predictions for the season? (Using the @GASabresIUFAN format as it worked last season.)

 

1) Sabres point total?

99

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? 

Yes

3) Sabres leading goal scorer?

TNT Another 40+ year

4) Sabres leader in total points?

Dahlin

5) Sabres MVP?

Dahlin (Norris incoming)

6) Sabres ROY?

Helenius

7) Best off-season acquisition?

Zellweger will flash, but Crevier's steadiness will smooth more bumps

8.) Worst off-season acquisition?

If I have to watch him play even one shift, Conor Sheary?

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative)

Know how you like Östlund and think he's going to be pretty good this year? He is going to be better than that.

Unfortunately, Josh Doan is going to slip

10) Breakout player?

He's not going to set fire to the scoreboard, and some will still call him soft, but Owen Power will be Buffalo's second-best player.

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards?

Ras, see above

12) Unsung hero?

Seth Appert. On the ice, Krebs

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season?

Alex Lyon

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline?

No. At the deadline, sure

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline?

They'll add some muscle again on the fringes

16) Other bold predictions?

Josh Norris will have a career year.

UPL will be just as good as he was last year and establish himself as a clear #1. (I started drinking early this morning.)

17) Any other thoughts?

Despite last year, Sabrespace hasn't fully grasped how competitive this group is in terms of work ethic and will to win.

We also place too much emphasis on how young the team is. Tage, Norris, McLeod, Benson, Doan, Quinn, Dahlin, Mule, Power, UPL are now young veterans whose window is open. There are enough adults like Lyon, Carrick, Zucker and Beck to anchor the room, and the team isnt asking too much of emerging players like Kulich and Zellweger.

 

[DarthEbriate]

bump for bragging before it begins

[Taro T]

On 9/28/2026 at 11:15 PM, DarthEbriate said:

What are your predictions for the season? (Using the @GASabresIUFAN format as it worked last season.)

 

1) Sabres point total?  106

2) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes

3) Sabres leading goal scorer?  Thompson

4) Sabres leader in total points?  Dahlin

5) Sabres MVP?  Dahlin

6) Sabres ROY?  If he somehow were to still qualify as a rookie, Ellis; otherwise Helenius  (not exactly a lot to choose from for that one)

7) Best off-season acquisition?  Crevier

8.) Worst off-season acquisition?  If he has to actually play in at least 1 game for the Sabres, Grzlcyk; if not Sheary

9) Biggest surprise? (positive or negative)  Lyon slumps badly as age finally catched up to him

10) Breakout player?  For overall game, Power; for points Benson (thought about writing Noah's name here)

11) Will any Sabres players or coaches finish as finalists (win?) for any major awards?  Dahlin is in top 2 for Norris; Ruff finishes top 3 for Adams; Benson gets significant Selke votes but not enough to be a finalist

12) Unsung hero?  Carrick (thought several others might be here, but expect they'll already be "sung" such as Doan, Östlund, Power, and Benson)  Maybe Malenstyn if Carrick's FO heroics cause him to be "sung" too.

13) Who will be the first Sabre traded away this season?  Lyon; if not him, Quinn (possibly in the off-season as he and Kekalainen don't see eye to eye on what a fair contract for him is)

14) Will GMJK make any in-season acquisitions before the deadline?  If by deadline, we mean within the week leading up to the deadline, no.

15) Will the Sabres be buyers or sellers at the deadline?  BUYERS

16) Other bold predictions?  GTing sliding slightly drops them to 3 in a stacked Adams/Atlantic/whatever division; but starting out on the road in the playoffs is Ruff's lucky charm and they make it far enough to lose to the Canes in 6.  Krebs will be solid and still 2/3's of the folks will want him gone.  😉 

17) Any other thoughts?  Will be a strange sensation walking into the MMArena on a weeknight in October and seeing over 16k in the bowl.