Sabres season preview: Ruff returns, aims to help end playoff drought

The 2024-25 NHL season starts Oct. 4. With training camps opening soon, NHL.com is taking a look at the three keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lineup for each of the 32 teams. Today, the Buffalo Sabres.

Coach: Lindy Ruff (first season)

Last season: 39-37-6; sixth place in Atlantic Division, did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

3 KEYS

1. 'Luukk' of the draw

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen signed a five-year, $23.75 million contract ($4.75 million average annual value) on July 24, and the 25-year-old will enter training camp as the No. 1 goalie. He earned it by going 27-22-4 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and five shutouts in an NHL career-high 54 games (51 starts) last season. His ability to retain the role will go a long way toward Buffalo ending its Stanley Cup Playoff drought at 13 seasons. The signing of 36-year-old James Reimer to a one-year, $1 million contract July 2 will allow Devon Levi more time to develop. Levi began the season in the NHL and was 10-8-2 with a 3.10 GAA and .899 save percentage in 23 games (21 starts), and 16-6-4 with a 2.42 GAA and .927 save percentage in 26 games with Rochester of the American Hockey League. The 22-year-old finished strong when he rejoined the Sabres in March, going 1-1-0 with a .947 save percentage in three games (two starts).

2. A lot more on offense

Ruff and the coaching staff must overhaul an offense that averaged 2.98 goals per game (23rd), down from 3.57 (third) in 2022-23. They were tied for 28th on the power play (16.6 percent), and their 37 power-play goals were 30th. That means better production from forwards Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Dylan Cozens, especially after the Sabres bought out the final three seasons of forward Jeff Skinner's eight-year, $72 million contract ($9 million AAV) on June 30. Thompson had 56 points (29 goals, 27 assists) last season, down from an NHL career-best 94 points (47 goals, 47 assists) in 2022-23. Tuch fell from 36 goals to 22 and Cozens scored 18 after he had 31 the previous season. Peyton Krebs, who had 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 80 games, could help after signing a two-year contract Tuesday. Skinner signed with the Edmonton Oilers after scoring 92 goals the past three seasons.

3. The captaincy

The Sabres are looking for their third captain in five seasons after trading Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 4, 2021, and Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers on March 8. Luukkonen, Thompson (seven years), Cozens (seven), Rasmus Dahlin (eight), Owen Power (seven) and Mattias Samuelsson (seven) are under long-term contracts. Forwards Jason Zucker, 32; Sam Lafferty, 29; and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, 28, were added to a roster that has 10 players aged 24 and under.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

Jiri Kulich, a 20-year-old forward, made his NHL debut last season, playing 14:53 of a 7-2 loss at the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 25. His 27 goals in 57 games led Rochester, and his 45 points were third. He also had 12 points (six goals, six assists) in seven games and won the bronze medal as Czechia captain at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Most intriguing addition

Ruff, 64, returns for his second tenure after being hired to replace Don Granato on April 22. He's the winningest coach in Sabres history (571-432-84 with 78 ties in 1,165 regular-season games). In his first tenure (1997-2012), he led Buffalo to the playoffs eight times in 14 full seasons, including the 1999 Stanley Cup Final, and is the last coach to guide the Sabres to the postseason (2011). Since being fired by the Sabres 17 games into the 2012-13 season, he's been to the playoffs three times in eight seasons as coach of the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils, reaching the second round in 2016 and 2023, when he was runner-up for the Jack Adams Award as the best coach in the NHL.

Biggest potential surprise

Bowen Byram found a better fit with the Sabres after joining them in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche for forward Casey Mittelstadt on March 6. The defenseman was losing ice time behind Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Samuel Girard and Josh Manson with the Avalanche, but the 23-year-old had nine points (three goals, six assists) and averaged 21:51 in 18 games with the Sabres, up 2:00 from his time in Colorado. This season he'll likely start on the second pair with Power and see significant time on the power play, giving him an opportunity to blossom that didn't appear possible with the Avalanche.

Ready to contribute

Jack Quinn's 2023-24 season was curtailed by an Achilles injury that forced him to miss the first 32 games before surgery for a lower-body injury sustained Jan. 27 sidelined him two months. The forward, who turns 23 on Thursday, still showed a scoring touch with 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 27 games. A healthy second full season in the NHL could be what he needs for a breakthrough.

Fantasy sleeper

Zach Benson, F (undrafted on average in fantasy): After the Sabres bought out the final three seasons of Skinner’s contract, Benson has a chance to stick in the top six and potentially earn time on the top line with Thompson as the season goes on. The No. 13 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, Benson was eighth among rookies with 28 even-strength points and flashed his high upside with eight multipoint games as an 18-year-old last season. He should compete with fellow talented young wings Quinn and JJ Peterka for first power-play usage. -- Pete Jensen

PROJECTED LINEUP

JJ Peterka -- Tage Thompson -- Alex Tuch

Jason Zucker -- Dylan Cozens -- Jack Quinn

Zach Benson -- Ryan McLeod -- Sam Lafferty

Beck Malenstyn -- Peyton Krebs -- Jordan Greenway

Mattias Samuelsson -- Rasmus Dahlin

Bowen Byram -- Owen Power

Henri Jokiharju -- Connor Clifton

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

James Reimer