How do Zellweger, Crevier fit on Sabres’ blue line?

Heading into training camp, Sabres.com is previewing the most important players, lineup questions and storylines for the 2026-27 season. Up next: the defensemen.

Returning: Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power, Conor Timmins, Zach Metsa

New: Olen Zellweger, Louis Crevier, Dennis Gilbert

• Top line, faceoffs, power play | Sabres’ biggest storylines at forward

It will look a bit different this season, but the Buffalo Sabres’ blue line should continue to be a massive strength.

A series of June trades shipped out Bowen Byram and Michael Kesselring and brought in Olen Zellweger and Louis Crevier, two young defensemen who’ve had promising starts to their NHL careers. Those additions, plus the strong returning cast, will give coach Lindy Ruff plenty of options with his defense pairs.

The foundation remains with Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson, who formed one of the NHL’s elite top pairs. Buffalo outscored its opponents 46-29 with those guys deployed at 5-on-5 last season, the sixth-best ratio of any NHL defense pair with 500-plus minutes (Natural Stat Trick). That continued in the playoffs, where Dahlin and Samuelsson led 7-4 in goals.

“Our top pair all year was Samuelsson and Dahlin; I’m pretty sure that pair is going to start the same,” general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen said in June.

But what about Owen Power, who had arguably his best all-around season with Byram as his partner? Both offseason pickups are candidates to fill that void, so with that in mind, here’s where they might fit and how the pairs might look on opening night in Columbus.

Olen Zellweger

Watch some of Zellweger’s offensive highlights with the Ducks last year, his third NHL season, and it’s easy to see a Byram resemblance. The former second-round pick is one of the league’s fastest skaters and puts that to good use, frequently jumping into the rush and creating plays deep in the offensive zone.

That’s exactly how the Sabres’ defensemen play, and as the forwards learned to cover for them at the blue line last season, it became a winning formula.

“They’re all really good skaters, they all have a great head for the game. Lots of really good puck decisions,” Zellweger said of his new teammates on the back end. “They kind of quarterback the whole system. I love watching all those guys. … All just great players, high skill, and I think lots of potential to get better as a group.”

• From July: Zellweger embracing opportunity to join Sabres

Zellweger set career highs last season in games played (76), points (22) and blocked shots (85). He also added two points in three playoff games.

The left-shot Calgary native played almost exclusively with right-handed partners, like heavy hitters Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas. But he already has some familiarity with the left-shot Power, having played with him at the IIHF World Junior Championship and World Championship. Combine that background with Zellweger’s skillset, and it hints at a possible second-pair role this season.

“Trading Bo Byram obviously created a hole,” Kekäläinen said. “This is a young player that has a lot of the same qualities. Really good skater, speed, puck play, ability to move up the ice, whether it’s with a pass or carrying the puck out of the zone. We see a lot of potential in him.”

“I’m gonna come in there,” added Zellweger, “and I’m gonna put my best foot forward and try to earn the most opportunity I can. Show what I can do, show that I’m ready for that bigger role starting right away this year.”

Louis Crevier

Compared to the 5-foot-10 Zellweger, Crevier brings a different presence to the ice at 6-foot-8, matching Tyler Myers as the NHL’s tallest defenseman. The 25-year-old delivered 124 hits last season, which would’ve ranked second on the Sabres’ blue line behind Samuelsson (132). He also fought once and registered the league’s fourth-hardest shot at 102.83 mph. Overall, it’s an impressive physical package.

Part of the return for Byram, Crevier developed in the Chicago organization from 2020 seventh-round pick to fringe NHLer to 2025-26 lineup regular. He averaged nearly 20 minutes a game during the back half of the season and finished with career bests across the board: games (78), goals (7), assists (18), blocks (95) and hits (124). A right shot, he played most of his minutes with lefty Alex Vlasic.

Crevier also became a top penalty killer for the Blackhawks. While Samuelsson and Conor Timmins should again be staples on the first PK unit, Crevier could see his share of opportunities behind them.

“You’re never gonna see me do what Dahlin does on the blue line; I’m gonna keep it simple,” he told Sabres Live. “But obviously I want to chip in offensively when I have the chance, and playing some good defense. That’s why I’m in the NHL right now: to play defense.”

Kekäläinen has said he expects Crevier, too, to compete for second-pair minutes, making it clear the towering defenseman wasn’t just a throw-in for the Byram trade.

“He’s made himself into an NHL player, which talks about his character and drive,” the GM said. “We talk to people from our sources about that. It’s one thing we always take seriously is you have skill, you have ability, but do you have character? Do you have competitiveness that we’re looking for in a Buffalo Sabre? And we came to the conclusion that he has all those values that we require in our team.”

Projected pairs

When last year’s Sabres had two right-shot defensemen in the lineup – some combo of Timmins, Zach Metsa, Kesselring and Luke Schenn – Ruff tended to rotate his pairs throughout the game, ensuring he always had one of the top-four lefties on the ice. That could continue this season, especially if Zellweger establishes himself as Power’s partner.

For now, before any injuries or AHL assignments, here’s how the depth chart could look:

Rasmus Dahlin-Mattias Samuelsson

Olen Zellweger-Owen Power

Louis Crevier-Conor Timmins

Zach Metsa-Dennis Gilbert