Camp Countdown | Where do the Sabres’ new defensemen fit?

In the days leading into training camp, Sabres.com will be addressing major questions surrounding the 2025-26 Buffalo Sabres. Up next: How will the defensive pairs take shape?

• Camp Countdown | How did Sabres improve this offseason?
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• Camp Countdown | Which forwards will provide a scoring boost?

After allowing 287 goals last season, tied for third most in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres prioritized their blue line this offseason.

Buffalo traded for Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins before re-signing restricted free agent Bowen Byram to a two-year contract. Those three, along with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson, comprise what looks to be a strong opening-night defense corps.

Byram’s fit in the lineup is clear: on the top pair with Dahlin. Last season, during their 626:24 of shared 5-on-5 ice time, Buffalo outscored its opponents 35-15; no NHL pairing exceeded that plus-20 differential. Further, Byram and Dahlin controlled 54 percent of the shot attempts, 57 percent of the shots on goal and 52 percent of the high-danger scoring chances when on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick.

• Byram discusses contract, growth, playing with Dahlin

As for the major offseason additions on defense, Kesselring and Timmins? Here’s how they might fit and what pairs coach Lindy Ruff might deploy when the regular season begins Oct. 9 versus the New York Rangers.

Michael Kesselring – RHD

Following last season, general manager Kevyn Adams stated his desire to find a more consistent partner for the left-shot Owen Power heading into his fourth full NHL campaign.

“It would be great to get an All-Star right-shot defenseman that can be next to him for the next bunch of years,” Adams said.

Kesselring, though not yet an NHL All-Star, appears to check all the boxes for a strong Power partner after his 2024-25 breakout in Utah.

The 6-foot-5 blueliner has shown a physical edge and ranked second among Utah defensemen with 87 hits last season – he also fought five times. The year prior, he dealt 106 hits in just 65 games. Kesselring’s playing the body and separating opponents from the puck, especially in the defensive zone, would free Power to jump into rushes the other way.

Kesselring also boasts the offensive tools to patrol the blue line alongside Power with great effect. He finished last season with 29 points (7+22) and led Utah defensemen with 150 shots on goal. Per NHL Edge, he’s one of the league’s hardest shooters and a well-above-average skater.

• Film review | Kesselring’s well-rounded game

Last season, Kesselring skated 206:34 at 5-on-5 alongside Mikhail Sergachev, a skilled defenseman with some similarities to Power. With that Kesselring-Sergachev pair deployed, Utah held marked advantages in shot attempts (61 percent), shots on goal (56 percent) and high-danger scoring chances (58 percent), per Natural Stat Trick. And it’s a testament to Kesselring’s versatility that he also posted strong on-ice numbers when paired with defense-first veterans like Ian Cole and Olli Maatta.

After the June 26 trade, Kesselring discussed the possibility of playing with Power or Dahlin.

“It’s really exciting, because I think I have the skill to help get them the puck,” he said. “Obviously (my) shot’s probably one of my best attributes, so if they can set me up for good looks, I can hopefully bury. But I can skate with them, and I think I move the puck pretty well, but also bring that defensive side, be reliable for one of those two guys hopefully, and kind of give them a ‘Steady Eddie’ partner who defensively plays hard, boxes out and can get them the puck and let them play their game.”

Conor Timmins – RHD

Timmins, too, is no stranger to playing with offensively inclined partners, as the bulk of his minutes following the March 7 trade to Pittsburgh came alongside Erik Karlsson. Previously, with Toronto, he often skated with Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly.

With 46 points (6+40) in 159 career games, the 26-year-old Timmins isn’t here to score. Rather, Buffalo, which had Timmins on its radar for years, acquired him to play a simple, no-nonsense defensive style.

“Where we felt Timmins made our team better is maybe just a little bit cleaner in terms of just the way he plays – the puck touches and the way he plays the game,” Adams said. “We just felt for the role that we were looking for in that spot on our D corps, Timmins was a better fit (than Connor Clifton, part of the trade package for Timmins).”

• Sabres swap second rounder, Clifton for Timmins

That spot figures to be the right side of the third pair, previously occupied by Clifton. A Timmins-Mattias Samuelsson duo, though not flashy, could thrive in the defensive zone and possibly team up on the penalty kill, too; Timmins, who totaled 112:47 of shorthanded ice time last season, will also help fill Clifton’s penalty-kill minutes.

When Timmins joined a thin Penguins defense corps, he averaged 18:43 of ice time across 17 games, up from 16:19 per game with Toronto. His success with that heavier workload inspires confidence that Timmins can take on a larger role in Buffalo, too, when needed.

Projected pairs

While training camp will dictate who ultimately takes the ice, here's a look at what the opening night defense pairs could look like:

Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin

Owen Power – Michael Kesselring

Mattias Samuelsson – Conor Timmins

Others in the mix to push for roster spots and playing time include returning veteran Jacob Bryson, offseason addition Zac Jones, and 2019 first-round pick Ryan Johnson.