Locker cleanout | Top quotes and full press conferences

The Buffalo Sabres were eliminated from the playoffs Monday with an overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of the second round.

• Game 7 recap | Sabres feel the sting as incredible season screeches to a halt

Players, coach Lindy Ruff and general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen will be holding their end-of-season media availabilities over the next few days, so bookmark this page for the best quotes and reactions to:

• The Sabres’ 13-game playoff run and highly successful 2025-26 season
• The culture and bonds established in the Sabres’ room this year
• Injury and health updates | Injuries and transactions page
• Pending free agents and contract situations this summer
• Looking ahead to 2026-27

Alex Lyon

On his Game 6 start vs. Montreal (3 goals on 4 shots) and the team rallying to force Game 7:

“You try to prepare the same way for every game, and sometimes things like that just happen. That’s the life of an NHL goalie. But for sure, it would be a lot worse if our season ended that night, so I owe a huge amount of gratitude to the guys. Credit to them for pulling through, and I owe UPL a nice bottle of wine and a big hug.”

On his individual performance this season, his first with the Sabres:

“There was some success this year, but you honestly just focus on the things that can make you better. … The hamster wheel doesn’t stop, I guess is what my ultimate point is. No matter how the season went, up or down, next season starts today, to be honest with you. The process begins now, and that’s kind of just how I operate.”

On the challenge of sustaining the team’s success beyond this season:

“Just because things really clicked and worked really well this year, doesn’t mean that it’s automatically just gonna happen again next year. The best teams and best players and best organizations are the ones that understand that and have a healthy fear of that. … My brain is just trained to think like there’s always adversity on the way, and if you’re prepared for it, it just makes it that much easier to get over and move past. So, I think that we have to understand that it’s just gonna be really difficult.”

Josh Doan

On processing this season, the playoffs and how it ended:

“Last night sucks. I think it still sucks. It's part of the game, but there's obviously a ton of positives and firsts that that you can look on throughout the offseason, as a whole and as a group, to build off of. I think the expectation’s been set now for who we are as a group, and I think a lot of us experiencing our first in many ways this year is going to help us down the road.”

On the tight-knit group the Sabres established this season:

“We had a lot of fun together, and that's part of the reason no one in that room wanted it to end. We enjoy being together and enjoy little mornings like this, getting up and coming to the rink and talking. And it makes the summer quite a bit longer when you're with a group that enjoys being together. … Getting here in the end of August, early September, I don't know if there was a lot of people that were putting us in contention to be where we were this year. It takes a lot as a group to grow together and put yourself in that position, and that speaks highly of how close-knit a group we had.”

Zach Benson

On his reaction to the Game 7 loss:

“It sucks that it’s over, for sure. It’s going to suck not being able to come to the rink tomorrow and see your brothers and compete for the end goal, which is the Stanley Cup. Obviously, there’s a lot to be proud of, but it still hurts, and I think it’s going to hurt for a while.”

On how much he cherishes his teammates and the relationships they grew this season:

“It’s been unbelievable. I love every guy in that room. It’s truly a brotherhood. It’s the tightest team I’ve ever been on. It was cool to see the city rally around us. It was super cool and a season I’ll never forget.”

On his status as a restricted free agent this summer:

“That’s something I haven’t even thought about. That’s something I’ll have to talk to my agent about in the next couple of weeks and go from there. I was just so focused on playing, obviously.”

Beck Malenstyn

On his waved-off goal in the third period of Game 7:

“Just thought I'd try to leak off the backside and hopefully see a puck squirt loose, and that's exactly what happened. As it was going in, you heard whistles blowing, I turned around, you're kind of in that shocked state of excitement and confusion, and refs are calling it off, you think it's in. … It was a chaotic sequence in a very meaningful game, so it was definitely a whirlwind of emotion there.”

On what he’ll remember most about the 2025-26 Sabres:

“It's really easy to sit back and be frustrated right now, or to just feel the effects of a loss in a playoff game, especially Game 7 overtime. But I think we accomplished a lot of amazing things this season, and I think we've instilled a lot of confidence in our fans and within ourselves of where we believed we could have been. And now, getting that taste, understanding what it takes to get there. I think it's just going to make everybody hungrier.”

On his status as an unrestricted free agent this summer:

“This will be my first time having that looming, but right now I'm just trying to soak up as much as I can from this season. I'm sure conversations between my agents and the team will continue to go. … It was an awesome group of people to be around, from staff to players. And then to be in the community and the arena with those fans was really special and something I would definitely enjoy to remain a part of.”

Jack Quinn

On his takeaways from his first playoff experience:

“It’s a lot of fun to be in. It’s fast paced, a lot of emotional swings. It’s just fun competing with the guys out there, so looking forward to getting back there.”

Konsta Helenius

On joining Team Finland at the IIHF World Championship, where he expects to play as soon as Friday:

“I think I had a great season, so if I get the chance to keep playing, I’m going to go there and play for Finland and try to win a championship. ... There’s many NHL players, so if I can get something from there, it’s good for next year.”

On fellow Finns helping him acclimate to the U.S. and the Sabres:

“When I came here first year, (Henri) Jokiharju, I lived with him. And now, second year, I lived with Upie, so that was easy. Upie gave me his car and everything, so they helped me outside the rink too, so it was easy to come here. On the ice, they helped me with communication. It’s a little bit different playing style here than in the AHL, so if you have something, you’ve just got to ask, and they help you. I’m grateful that they helped me a lot.”

Jiri Kulich

On missing the season from Nov. 1-on due to a blood clot, which he’s since had removed:

“It was a tough, tough year. But at the same time, I could take advantage of it in a positive way, just trying to be a better player. This year helped me even to be a better person, too. It was kind of a rollercoaster, because the only thing I was asking myself was if I’m gonna be able to play hockey again. That was the toughest part, but I’m just so grateful how this organization treated me, and they were helping me every single day. They even allowed me to see some experts (Mayo Clinic in Minnesota). I think everything’s going the right way, and I’m looking forward for next season.”

On watching young guys like Benson, Helenius and Noah Ostlund perform succeed this year:

“I can’t even describe how excited I am for next season. Watching those guys is just awesome. I watch every single shift, and I’m so glad I could be part of this team even though I wasn’t playing, so I could see the guys working hard and having fun.”

On feeling like part of the team despite not playing:

“Those guys in the locker room, they just treated me like family. Even when I thought I’m not even part of this team because I’m not playing, they just treated me that I am part of this team, and that helped me a lot this year. I was just trying to spend as much time as I can with the boys.”