Buffalo Sabres 2025-26 Player Grades: Josh Dunne

The Buffalo Sabres easily exceeded expectations during the 2025-26 season. In addition to ending their 15-year playoff drought, they also captured the Atlantic Division crown in the face of fierce competition from the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens.

As we continue to review the season, it is time for player grades. Today’s subject is one of the various role players that the Sabres used this season on what amounted to a very effective fourth line: Josh Dunne.

Production

Players like Dunne can be tougher to evaluate because of their role relative to the team, so production isn’t necessarily something that jumps out. That said, Dunne suited up in 34 games this season, a victim of injury and stiff competition from other role players at the bottom of the lineup. He scored just one goal and added three assists, so his offensive production is about as minimal as it gets.

Perhaps even more telling is his ice time this season. Head coach Lindy Ruff showed with the defensive core that he leans heavily on those he trusts. The rest barely see any time, and Dunne was one of them. He averaged just 9:29 per game and still finished with a minus-7 rating, perhaps underscoring his effectiveness – or lack thereof – when he did see the ice.

Intangibles

Dunne’s role for the team is very clear: skate, check, and play responsible defense. At 6-foot-4, he has the size to be an imposing physical presence but isn’t perhaps to the degree that he should be. He finished ninth on the team in hits/60 with 7.44. The Sabres excelled with speed and physicality from their bottom six, and Dunne didn’t really seem to stand out in either regard.