The Buffalo Sabers are seven points out of a playoff spot, and they are the only team in the Eastern Conference under the .500 point mark. With a record of 12-14-4 (28 points) and a pace of 77 points, things aren’t looking too good.
The team has a lot of problems, from goalkeeping – including a three-goalkeeper rotation between Colten Ellis, Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – to having three wins in fourteen games. Let’s start with the issue that everyone has been talking about for most of the season.
Rotation with three goalkeepers
The Sabers have operated with a three-goaltender rotation all season after claiming Ellis off waivers from the St. Louis Blues just before the regular season started. There are a few reasons why this rotation is a major cause for concern and will be a reason why the Sabers’ playoff drought extends to 15 seasons.
None of the goaltenders can really get into a rhythm, which will hurt the team in the short and long term. Lacking a consistent goaltender and “riding the hot hand” is not a recipe for success, especially when there is usually one goaltender who won’t play for at least two weeks.
Lyon came into the game succeeding Luukkonen in the Sabres’ 7-4 loss to the Calgary Flames on Monday evening. It was his first appearance since November 28, a span of ten days. If he were simply the backup in a regular two-goalie tandem, that wouldn’t be a problem, as a team can only dress a maximum of two per game.
The Sabers have three goaltenders who have not consistently kept the puck out of their net; they have conceded 106 goals this season, the third most in the league behind only the Vancouver Canucks and the Blues.
The Sabres’ struggles on the road continue
The Sabers have a 3-9-2 record this season, the worst in the league, and none of their three wins have come in regulation. The Sabres’ last road rule victory came on April 1, 2025; that’s embarrassing.
If the Sabers played all 82 games on the road, their record would be 18-53-11 (47-point pace). If the Sabers played all 82 games on home ice, their record would be 46-26-10 (102-point pace). They’re a very different team depending on where they play, and they’re in the middle of a six-game road trip of which they are 1-3-0 so far and were defeated 19-11.
Related: Buffalo Sabres’ Top 3 Christmas Wishes for 2025
The Sabers will also play 10 of their Dec. 14 games on the road. Something has to happen if they want to consistently win hockey games outside of Buffalo. Their even power play on the road was actually quite good, they were just unlucky. However, in the NHL, nothing matters except winning hockey games, so if they play that well, even strength doesn’t lead to wins, then it doesn’t 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. As the Sabers dealt with numerous injuries, we saw both Ostlund and Rosen get recalled from the American Hockey League (AHL) and take on prominent roles in the Sabers lineup.
Both got to play the top six minutes, Rosen had time on the first power play unit and Ostlund got some minutes on the second power play unit. Both 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 few games, recorded six points in 20 games.
Another reason why 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. Furthermore, with the current roster construction, these would be significant improvements over Jordan Greenway and Peyton Krebs, who combined for 11 points in 46 games, compared to Rosen and Ostlund’s 13 points in 31 games.
The Sabers are not out of the playoff race yet; But as the day goes by, they seem to be getting further and further away from the conclusion of the postseason. They need to start stringing wins together now, and by that I mean they need to continue a five-plus game winning streak to put themselves back in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
#Sabers #Problems #Playoffs #Hockey #Writers #Buffalo #Sabers #Latest #News #Analysis