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Did the Buffalo Sabres do enough to replace Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, two key members of last season's roster who were traded after it became clear they weren't going to sign long-term contract extensions with the organization?
That's the biggest question facing the franchise ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season and, while Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen may still make another move or two before training camp in September, it's also possible Buffalo will enter the campaign with its current roster.
If that's the case, the Blue and Gold's postseason hopes will depend on internal improvement from the team's young players, including prized prospect Konsta Helenius.
The 20-year-old Finland native, who made a strong impression during the club's second-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, was selected by Michael Traikos of The Hockey News as one of his top five NHL breakout candidates on Tuesday.
"With Alex Tuch gone, there's going to be a void to fill when it comes to offensive production in Buffalo next season," Traikos wrote. "And while it might be too much to ask Konsta Helenius to replace Tuch's output and score 33 goals and 66 points, the potential is there."
Helenius scored four points (one goal and three assists) in nine regular-season appearances for the Sabres last season. The 2024 first-round pick spent most of the campaign with the AHL's Rochester Americans, tallying 63 points in 63 contests despite a lackluster Amerks supporting cast.
His stock really start to explode late in the season, though.
The rapidly improving center scored two goals in four games during Buffalo's series against the Habs, which they lost in seven games. He then helped lead Finland to a gold medal in the 2026 IIHF World Championships, scoring the championship-winning overtime goal for Suomi. He finished the tournament with six points (three goals and three helpers) in six contests.
That stretch showed Helenius is ready for a full-time NHL role in 2026-27.
Sabres must avoid the path of least resistance in roster decisions for next season
An emerging conversation within the Sabres fanbase is whether the front office will "take the easy way out" with the team's impending roster decisions.
Buffalo has 15 or 16 forwards (depending on whether you count veteran Conor Sheary) set to compete for just 13 spots on the Opening Night roster. The Sabres also have three players in that battle who are waiver exempt: Helenius, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich.
So, there's been a discussion about whether Kekalainen and head coach Lindy Ruff will opt to send that trio of young players to Rochester to maintain a maximum amount of depth. They'd then be recalled as needed due to injuries or poor performance, or when the club needs a spark.
It makes some sense when it comes to Kulich, who missed a vast majority of the 2025-26 season while recovering from a blood clot. Giving him some time with the Amerks to get all the way back up to full speed would be an option, even if there wasn't a roster crunch.
Helenius and Ostlund should be on the ice when the Sabres open the campaign against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 1, though. They're too important to the team's success to lose out on a roster spot because of a tricky numbers game.
Yes, that means a couple players from the group of Sheary, Justin Danforth and Tyson Kozak would be exposed to waivers, but they are replacement-level depth options. Buffalo shouldn't weaken its roster solely to avoid the potential of losing them.
That's especially true due to the immense strength of the Atlantic Division (and the Eastern Conference as a whole) this season.
As it stands, the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders are the only East squads who don't look like serious postseason threats ahead of the new campaign. And even Detroit may change that outlook if it can get Dylan Larkin to change his mind about his trade request.
It creates a situation where the Sabres can't afford to ice less-than-optimal lineups in the name of preserving depth. Every point is going to matter in the 84-game Eastern gauntlet.
Helenius and Ostlund have proven they're ready to make a serious impact. The Blue and Gold are going to need them, along with eventually Kulich, to solidify themselves as foundational members of the roster if they're going to replace the all-around play Tuch provided for the past five years.
All told, Buffalo should have a singular focus now that it's contention window is open: Putting its best players on the ice every night, regardless of the circumstances.
Today's best reads
- Sabres insider downplays concerns about Buffalo's overcrowded NHL roster
- Beck Malenstyn is confident the younger players can step up for the Sabres in 2026-27
- Buffalo Sabres are uniquely prepared to handle NHL's new 84-game schedule
- NHL analyst projects Buffalo Sabres are having league's worst offseason
- Jarmo Kekalainen aces a challenging first offseason as Sabres general manager
This article was originally published on sabrenoise.com as Buffalo Sabres prospect named one of NHL's top 2026-27 breakout candidates.
