Sabres roster at a glance for Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Buffalo Sabres qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011 to end an NHL-record 14-season drought. The Atlantic Division champions (50-23-9) to finish with 109 points, the most since a team-record 113 set in 2006-07.
Here is the 2026 Sabres roster at a glance:

FORWARDS

Zach Benson (5-foot-10, 177 pounds), Chilliwack, British Columbia: The 20-year-old chosen in the first round (No. 13) of the 2023 NHL Draft completed his third full season with NHL career highs in goals (13), assists (40), points (43) and plus-minus (plus-27).

Sam Carrick (6-0, 202), Stouffville, Ontario: The 34-year-old had six points (five goals, one assist) in 13 games after arriving in a trade with the New York Rangers on March 6 for a third- and sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. He's been out since March 31 with an upper-body injury.
 
Justin Danforth (5-8, 193), Oshawa, Ontario: The 33-year-old hasn't played since Oct. 15 because of a lower-body injury. He signed a two-year, $3.6 million contract with the Sabres on July 2, 2025, after four seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
 
Josh Doan (6-2, 198), Scottsdale, Arizona: Enjoying a breakout season (52 points; 25 goals, 27 assists in 82 games) after arriving with Michael Kesselring in a trade with the Utah Mammoth for JJ Peterka on June 26, 2025. Doan was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the second round (No. 37) of the 2021 NHL Draft and helped the United States win gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, the country's first at the tournament since 1933. His father, Shane Doan, played all 21 of his NHL seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes franchise.

Josh Dunne (6-4, 208), O'Fallon, Missouri: The 27-year-old signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Sabres on July 1, 2024, and scored his first NHL goal in a 4-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 28. Josh's sister, Joy Dunne, completed her junior season as a forward at Ohio State University and won gold with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Another sister, Jincy, is a defenseman for the New York Sirens of the Professional Women's Hockey League.

Jordan Greenway (6-6, 231), Canton, New York: The 29-year-old returned for a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders on March 31 after missing 24 games with an abdominal injury. Greenway had one assist in six games since and six points (one goal, five assists) in 40 games this season. He was acquired from the Minnesota Wild on March 3, 2023, for a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Sabres on March 5, 2025.

Tyson Kozak (5-11, 185), Souris, Manitoba: The 23-year-old and Buffalo's seventh-round pick (No. 193) in the 2021 NHL Draft had six points (two goals, four assists) in 46 games while seeing time on the fourth line.

Peyton Krebs (6-0, 188), Calgary, Alberta: Joined the Sabres with Alex Tuch in the trade that sent Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 4, 2021. Krebs, chosen by Vegas in the first round (No. 17) of the 2019 NHL Draft, had NHL career highs in goals (12), assists (27), points (39) and plus-minus (plus-13) in 82 games. He had one assist in his 300th NHL game, an 8-4 win against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 15.

Jiri Kulich (6-1, 193), Kadan, Czechia: The 22-year-old hasn't played since Nov. 1 because of a blood clot. He was taken by the Sabres in the first round (No. 28) of the 2022 NHL Draft and has 29 points (18 goals, 11 assists) in 75 games.

Beck Malenstyn (6-3, 209), Delta, British Columbia: Completed his second season with the Sabres after arriving in a trade with the Washington Capitals on June 29, 2024. Malenstyn had 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 81 games as a bottom-six forward.

Ryan McLeod (6-3, 204), Mississauga, Ontario: Had 54 points (14 goals, 40 assists) in 81 games while contributing in a top-six role. McLeod was traded to Buffalo by the Edmonton Oilers on July 5, 2024, and signed a four-year, $20 million contract July 1, 2025. His brother, Michael McLeod, was chosen by the New Jersey Devils in the first round (No. 12) of the 2016 NHL Draft.

Josh Norris (6-2, 196), Oxford, Mississippi: Completed his second season with the Sabres after he was acquired in the trade that sent Dylan Cozens to the Senators on March 7, 2025. The first-round pick (No. 19) of the San Jose Sharks in the 2017 NHL Draft ended the regular season with 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 44 games.

Noah Ostlund (5-11, 180), Stockholm, Sweden: The 22-year-old completed his first full season in the NHL with 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 60 games. Ostlund scored his first NHL goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Mammoth on Nov. 4. He was chosen by the Sabres in the first round (No. 16) of the 2022 draft.

Tanner Pearson (6-1, 207): Kitchener, Ontario: The 33-year-old finished his 13th NHL season with 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 56 games for the Sabres and Winnipeg Jets, who traded him to Buffalo on March 6. Pearson won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings as a rookie in 2013-14.

Jack Quinn (6-1, 185): Ottawa, Ontario: Set NHL career highs in goals (20), assists (31), points (51) and games (82) in his age-24 season. Quinn was the No. 8 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and signed a two-year, $6.75 million contract (average annual value of $3.375 million) with Buffalo on June 27, 2025.

Tage Thompson (6-6, 220): Phoenix, Arizona: One of the top forwards in the NHL will skate in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time. Thompson led the Sabres with 40 goals -- the third time he reached the mark -- and 81 points. He was traded to Buffalo in the deal that sent Ryan O'Reilly to the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2018, and signed a seven-year, $50 million contract (average annual value of $7.14 million) with the Sabres on Aug. 30, 2022, that began with the 2023-24 season. Thompson won gold with Team USA at the 2026 Olympics and was Doan's teammates at the 2025 Worlds.

Alex Tuch (6-4, 219): Syracuse, New York: Tuch also joined the Sabres in the Eichel trade. The 29-year-old had 66 points (33 goals, 33 assists) and was an NHL career-best plus-24 in 79 games. He'll play in his fifth NHL postseason and first since 2020-21 with the Golden Knights.

Jason Zucker (5-11, 198): Newport Beach, California: The Sabres became the 34-year-old's fifth team when he signed a one-year, $5 million contract July 1, 2024. Zucker then signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract March 7, 2025, and had 45 points (24 goals, 21 assists) in 62 games.

DEFENSEMEN

Bowen Byram (6-1, 205), Cranbrook, British Columbia: The No. 4 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has flourished since he was traded to the Sabres by the Colorado Avalanche for Casey Mittelstadt on March 6, 2024. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche had his best season in the League (42 points; 11 goals, 31 assists, plus-15 rating in 82 games) at the age of 24, ranking second among Sabres defensemen in points behind Rasmus Dahlin's 74.

Rasmus Dahlin (6-3, 204), Lidkoping, Sweden: The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft will make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut. Dahlin set a new NHL career high in points and was one goal from his NHL best of 20 in 2023-24. He led Sabres defensemen with 55 assists in his age-26 season and was named captain Sept. 26, 2024. Dahlin signed an eight-year, $88 million contract with Buffalo on Oct. 9. 2023, that began with the 2024-25 season.

Michael Kesselring (6-5, 215), Florence, South Carolina: Joined the Sabres with Doan in the trade with the Mammoth. Kesselring won gold with the United States at the 2025 Worlds and had two assists in 34 games this season.

Zach Metsa (5-9, 198), Delafield, Wisconsin: Undrafted, Metsa was plus-1 in his NHL debut, a 4-2 loss at the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 20. He signed a two-year contract with Rochester of the American Hockey League on April 13, 2023, after helping Quinnipiac University win the NCAA national championship.

Owen Power (6-6, 226), Mississauga, Ontario: The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft joins Thompson and Dahlin as core Sabres about to make their NHL postseason debut. Power had 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) while averaging 21:39 in 81 games and setting an NHL career-high in goals.

Mattias Samuelsson (6-4, 229), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Led the Sabres at plus-41, the best of his NHL career. The 26-year-old and second-round pick (No. 32) of the Sabres in the 2018 NHL Draft also set career highs of 13 goals, 28 assists and 41 points on the second defense pair.

Luke Schenn (6-2, 225), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: The 36-year-old is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, '21) and arrived in Buffalo via a trade with the Winnipeg Jets on March 6. Schenn had no points in four games after the deal. He had seven points (one goal, six assists) in 46 games for the Jets.

Logan Stanley (6-7, 231), Waterloo, Ontario: Was traded to the Sabres by the Jets with Schenn and is a towering presence on the third defense pair. Stanley had five assists in 17 games after joining Buffalo. He had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 59 games for Winnipeg.

Conor Timmins (6-3, 213): St. Catharines, Ontario: The 27-year-old was traded to the Sabres by the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 28, 2025, and had eight assists in 39 games.

GOALIES

Colten Ellis (6-1, 191), Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia: Claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 6 and was 8-4-1 with a 2.90 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in 16 games (13 starts). He made 37 saves for his first NHL shutout, 5-0 against the Blue Jackets on April 9.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (6-5, 223), Espoo, Finland: Emerged as the No. 1 goalie with 22 wins, a 2.52 GAA, .910 save percentage and one shutout even with a lower-body injury that deprived him a chance to play for Team Finland at the Olympics.

Alex Lyon (6-1, 199), Baudette, Minnesota: The 33-year-old signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Sabres on July 1, 2025, and was Sergei Bobrovsky's backup when the Florida Panthers advanced to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, a five-game loss to the Golden Knights. Lyon went 20-10-4 with a 2.77 GAA, .907 save percentage and three shutouts in 36 games (34 starts) this season.