Locked On Sabres - Daily Podcast On The Buffalo Sabres

Training camps are about to open around the NHL, including the Buffalo Sabres' camp which have have tons and tons of battles for roles in their lineup before the start of the regular season. The most interesting of which will be who plays on the top line with Tage Thompson. Much of that will depend on whether Tage is a center or wing. If he's a winger, like he was to start last year, Jiri Kulich could be a darkhorse to open the year as the Sabres #1 center. Konsta Helenius is also an option to open the season on the top line. Down the depth chart, there will be competition on the Sabres fourth line, and can Ryan McLeod stay in the top nine? Plus, Olen Zellweger vs Louis Crevier to be Owen Power's partner. And Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen vs Alex Lyon to be the opening night starter. Lindy Ruff will have a lot to figure out before the Sabres open up against the Blue Jackets in three weeks. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Get three hundred fifty dollars in Bonus Bets — GUARANTEED — when you bet five dollars every day for seven days. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off their worst season in years, and it sets up a big question about Auston Matthews' future in Toronto. Will a poor start to the season cause Matthews to push his way out? The Leafs amazingly won the draft lottery and selected Gavin McKenna, who could be their savior. However, the hire of Jim Hiller as head coach presents a new style of play for Toronto. Likely an ultra-defensive, conservative style of hockey that should keep the Leafs competitive, but limit their ability to win big. If they decide to play that way, it's only good news for Lindy Ruff's style of play that the Sabres employ. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Get three hundred fifty dollars in Bonus Bets — GUARANTEED — when you bet five dollars every day for seven days. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Buffalo Sabres are the defending Atlantic Division champions, but the Florida Panthers are still the gold standard of the division. The back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions had a forgettable season in 2025-26 due to countless injuries to Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and several other important players. It didn't help that Sergei Bobrovsky had the worst season of his career behind an injured squad. The Panthers had a big summer, trading away three 1st round picks to acquire Brady Tkachuk, pairing him with his brother in their forward ranks. The Tkachuk brothers will be one of the most intimating lines anywhere in the NHL. The Sabres were able to take on and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning playing a physical, ugly style multiple times, but the Panthers are better. Can they do the same against Florida? The likes of Zach Benson and Josh Doan will be very important when the Sabres play their four matchups with the Panthers this season. And the division could very well come down to these two teams. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Get three hundred fifty dollars in Bonus Bets — GUARANTEED — when you bet five dollars every day for seven days. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Buffalo Sabres soared past the Detroit Red Wings last season, ending their 14-year playoff drought, while the Red Wings collapsed to extend their playoff drought to 10-years, now the longest in the NHL. Detroit now owns the second longest drought in NHL history, and their offseason makes it seem like catching the Sabres record is very realistic. Dylan Larkin wants out and maybe the only reason he hasn't been traded yet is the Red Wings don't have a General Manager. With Steve Yzerman being fired this offseason, are the Red Wings looking at baseball people to take over?!?! Patrick Kane already hit the ejector seat. Will Alex DeBrincat follow? The Red Wings are headed in the wrong direction and the Sabres should dominate them head-to-head this year. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Get three hundred fifty dollars in Bonus Bets — GUARANTEED — when you bet five dollars every day for seven days. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sneaky Joe picked the Ottawa Senators to win the Atlantic Division last year. They did not. However, they showed to be an elite level team, that just happened to have historically bad goaltending at the same time. The result was Ottawa squeaking into the playoffs and getting swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champions. The thing that did Ottawa in, was the first truly bad season of Linus Ullmark's career. You'd think this season all Ottawa needs is to get a better Ullmark and they'll challenge for the division. But with Brady Tkachuk demanding out this offseason, the Senators core group has a big test ahead without their emotional leader, and one of their best players. Without Tkachuk, who steps up for the Sens? The forward group has a bunch of really really good players, and the blueline is one of the deepest in the Eastern Conference. Will the Senators break or improve on last season? Plus, how the Sabres matchup with Ottawa, after Buffalo took last year's season series. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel College football Saturdays are already packed with reasons to get excited, and this season, FanDuel is giving fans even more ways to get in on every matchup. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Boston Bruins fell to the Buffalo Sabres in the playoffs last season, showing they were not a great team, getting run over in most of the six games of the series. The Bruins defense core could not handle the pressure from the Sabres forwards, and the depth could not go four lines with the Sabres. Their answer? Add three former Sabres. JJ Peterka, Will Borgen, and Connor Clifton. None of which seem to help the Bruins with the things they struggled with against the Sabres. Sneaky Joe believes the Bruins will be closer to the bottom feeder team they were two years ago, than the 100 point team they were last year. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel College football Saturdays are already packed with reasons to get excited, and this season, FanDuel is giving fans even more ways to get in on every matchup. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Buffalo Sabres and Montréal Canadiens might be the best two teams in the league for signing their best players before the salary cap jumped way up, meaning both are set up to be really good for a long time. The Canadiens might not have been a team worthy of the Conference Finals last season, but that doesn't mean their season overall was a fluke. Led by Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Caufield the Habs have a core of incredible young players. Were the Sabres the better team when the two teams met in the second round of the playoffs? Games 6 and 7 would say the Sabres were better, but just couldn't finish the job. The Canadiens offseason has been super quiet, but there are smoke signals that they're ready to make a move for a big name forward if one gets moved. And what will their goaltending situation look like going forward? Keep an eye on Jacob Fowler. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel College football Saturdays are already packed with reasons to get excited, and this season, FanDuel is giving fans even more ways to get in on every matchup. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Buffalo Sabres finished ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division last season by three points, and went one round further. A huge reason for this was the Lightning being the most undisciplined team in the NHL led by their fraud of a head coach Jon Cooper. Will the Lightning improve on this next season? They will need to to finish first in the Atlantic. The Lightning did lose their top defenseman this offseason in Darren Raddysh to Toronto. Is adding 36-year old John Carlson enough to replace him? The Lightning still look like a slow blueline that can be taken advantage of by young fast teams. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel College football Saturdays are already packed with reasons to get excited, and this season, FanDuel is giving fans even more ways to get in on every matchup. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has gone public with his trade request after months of not seeing a deal get done, as training camp gets closer! Hellebuyck pushing the Jets to get a deal done comes as excellent news to any hockey fan hoping their team acquires him, including Buffalo Sabres fans! The Sabres reportedly came the closest to acquiring him at the NHL Draft, but a deal did not get done. Now that Hellebuyck is making it clear he will not stay in Winnipeg, the price should come down, making a deal more likely. The problem is a deal is now harder for the Sabres with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen having the ability to say no to a trade. Despite that, Sneaky Joe believes there are trades that make sense for Buffalo where Hellebuyck and UPL would co-exist in the same net. Could Ryan McLeod still be a center-piece to a trade? Plus, which other teams make sense to deal for Hellebuyck, and which teams the Sabres could try to send UPL to if they don't want to carry $13M worth of goalies at the same time. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Buffalo Sabres have a couple years to think about what they will want to do in the next round of NHL expansion drafts, as it seems to be almost a certainty the league will add a second team in Texas and a team in Atlanta. When that does happen, the Sabres will likely have six easy decisions to make at forward, but the seventh forward to be protected could be really debatable. Jack Quinn, Peyton Krebs, Josh Norris, and Ryan McLeod could all be options to be protected, but multiple will be exposed. Plus, why the Olen Zelleweger experiment could just be a three-year experiment because of the expansion rules. If Mattias Samuelsson does not regress as a player, it seems unlikely the Sabres will protect Zelleweger. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Anaheim Ducks are the most vulnerable team in the NHL right now, with just over $9M in salary cap space, and a star forward in Cutter Gauthier turning down contracts worth $13M per season. Are the Ducks going to have to make multiple trades to create room to pay him? Or will they trade Gauthier away? If the latter ends up being possible, the Buffalo Sabres should be VERY AGGRESSIVE sending offers to Pat Verbeek. Would Daxon Rudolph, Jack Quinn, and a 1st round pick be enough to tempt the Ducks? If possible, Gauthier would provide the Sabres with an upgrade over Alex Tuch, who is 8 years younger. It would make the offseason a total win for the Sabres. If the Ducks take the more likely option of trading other guys on their team to make room, would any be of interest to the Sabres? Chris Kreider and Alex Killorn are decent players, but likely to old and expensive to interest Buffalo. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sabres twitter is besides itself at Zach Benson being ranked 124th among NHL players drafted, many not even in the league yet by one prospects analyst, which is an insane ranking that you have to question a person's motivation after seeing. No Benson is nowhere near that amongst players of his age, but where does he rank on a list of Sabres young guys? Sneaky Joe ranks his top-seven Sabres under-23, including Konsta Helenius, Radim Mrtka, and more. The ceilings for Benson and Helenius are much higher than they've already showed and should be considered the elites of the Sabres young core. Will Daxon Rudolph join them on that tier? Plus, what we're hoping to see from the Sabres alternate uniform in the NHL's Hometown Remix series, and what it likely will be. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Colten "Chaos" Ellis was claimed on waivers to be the Buffalo Sabres third goaltender last fall, and did very well playing a very inconsistent schedule. His wild, athletic style was effective, and chaotic at times, but with more work on his composure and technique, the Sabres could have a very solid young goalie on their hands. With just 14 starts under his belt, the time is this season to see Ellis become a more regular piece of the goalie picture, rather than just the guy who plays when one of the top two guys are injured. At 25-years old, coming off strong AHL success, and a good rookie NHL season, there's no reason to rule out Ellis become a regular NHL goaltender. How good could he be? Even if he's not going to be a #1 goalie, there's a good chance he settles in as a strong #2 behind say... a Connor Hellebuyck. How many games will Ellis play in 2026-27 if UPL and Alex Lyon are in front of him? What if it's Hellebuyck in front of him? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lindy Ruff utilized a goalie rotation last season that got his team to the playoffs and into Round 2. Despite even regular seasons from Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, previous seasons and the playoffs show that Lyon is the best goalie on the Sabres roster. Even if he isn't treated like it. Lyon has been an NHL regular now for four years and his numbers blow UPL's out of the water. Lyon's playoffs were solid in totality, but the lasting image many fans have of him is giving up three consecutive goals to the Canadiens in Game 6, a game the Sabres needed to win to keep their season alive. Will Lyon see a depleted workload in 2026-27? Plus, why Lyon is the perfect partner for Connor Hellebuyck, should the Sabres finish off the mega-trade. Lyon would allow Hellebuyck to play fewer games in the regular season, keeping him fresher for the postseason. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Buffalo Sabres have a pretty clear cut top-five defensemen heading into the 2026-27 season, but who will be the sixth? There will likely be a competition between Zach Metsa and Conor Timmins in training camp and into the regular season. Metsa provides some really solid play at 5-on-5, but offers nothing on special teams. Timmins can be a liability at even-strength, but is a core penalty killer. Which role will the Sabres need more? Was Metsa's incredible run of not allowing a goal last season total luck? Plus, could prospects Radim Mrtka, Daxon Rudolph, or Adam Kleber factor into the Sabres lineup by the end of the season? Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Owen Power has always been a polarizing player for Buffalo Sabres fans, ever since he was the 1st overall pick in the NHL Draft. He may have never been more polarizing though then right after the playoffs ended, after great series' against the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. Power played through a horrible ankle sprain, and played well in Games 6 and 7 of the second round. After that run, is it fair to say Owen Power has finally arrived? Sneaky Joe takes a look at Power's 2025-26 season, and how much room he still has to grow as a shooter and a physical player. Plus, an update on Connor Hellebuyck keeps optimism alive for a big trade between the Sabres and Jets. Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mattias Samuelsson had one of the most improbable breakouts in Buffalo Sabres history in 2025-26, going from a legitimate buyout candidate that couldn't stay healthy, that also wouldn't hit anybody, to a tremendous top-pair defenseman who was bullying opponents on the ice, and scored more goals than he had in his entire career combined! The Samuelsson story is one of the most incredible we've ever seen. You can now say he is one of the best big-man defensemen in the NHL. The offense showing up for Samuelsson was something he hasn't done since he was 15 years old, and he scored goals in big big moments. Samuelsson's future now looks as bright as you could imagine, but are his injury problems a thing of the past? Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Louis Crevier was not the focal point of the Buffalo Sabres trade with Chicago this offseason, but he has the potential to be the second success story as a throw in to a deal, following in Josh Doan's footsteps from last season. Crevier is a monster defenseman at 6'8'', 228 pounds, who will bury a forward into the boards and in front of the net. He also just happens to have a bomb of a slap shot, while also being one of the fastest skating defenseman in the NHL. Crevier has all the tools you could want as a blueliner. If he puts it all together, we're talking about a top-four defenseman for the Sabres. Crevier could battle with Olen Zelleweger to be Owen Power's partner, potentially being someone that can do for Power what Mattias Samuelsson does for Rasmus Dahlin. A look at Crevier's role in Chicago shows someone playing some of the toughest matchups in the NHL, always starting in his own end. How different will his role be in Buffalo? Likely very different. Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon . FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rasmus Dahlin has become a premier, tier-1 defenseman in the NHL, finishing as a Norris Trophy finalist in 2025-26, following career highs. Dahlin's story of last season was incredible, leading the Buffalo Sabres out of their playoff drought after dealing with so much off the ice with his fiancé. Dahlin's season cements him as the best Sabres defenseman of all-time already. Yes, over Phil Housley and Mike Ramsey. Sneaky Joe goes back and watches all of Dahlin's shifts in Game 7 against the Canadiens, a game the Sabres lost, but Dahlin took over and did almost everything he could to win it... until the very end. The last shift of his season was a tough way to end an otherwise amazing campaign. Plus, why Dahlin's contract is going to be a massive bargain very very soon. Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jiří Kulich missed all but 12 games last season due to a blood clot, making it easy to forget the potential he has for the Buffalo Sabres. It also would be easy to forget how much he struggled early last season, playing with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. So far in his career, Kulich has showed an elite shot release, but has struggled as a playmaker. As a center, it'll be tough for him to thrive without improving that. If Kulich can become a better passer and two-way player, he may have a future as a top-six center on the Sabres. However, he may be outranked now by Konsta Helenius, Noah Östlund, and others at center. Kulich on paper has all the skills to be a great goal scoring winger, but it hasn't gone great when he's done it in his first 75 games of his NHL career. Plus, Jason Zucker has scored 45 goals for the Sabres in his first two seasons with the team, with almost half of those being on the powerplay. If Zucker no longer has a regular PP1 role, will he still warrant being in the lineup with so many good forwards on the Sabres? Zucker could end up being on the fourth line or in the press box if all the young guys thrive early in the season. Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.