Jan 14, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) celebrate a win over the Philadelphia Flyers at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Sabres Might Just Be For Real

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Jan 15, 2026 11:20 AM ET

The Buffalo Sabres are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. Winners of 14 out of their last 16 games, the team has quickly leapt from bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to owners of one of the Wild Card spots, and still climbing.

For years, the Sabres have been an unserious franchise. Losing felt inevitable and the idea of the Sabres making a legitimate run toward a postseason spot was laughable.

This year, it feels drastically different in Buffalo. Not just because the team is red-hot, but because from the net out, this Sabres team is playing cohesively and with passion. It might be a flash in the pan, sure, but there's a growing chance that the Sabres are for real in 2026.

Luukkonen Peaking

Nothing helps a team rise quicker than impressive goaltending, which is exactly what the Sabres are getting from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The 26-year-old Finnish puck-stopper returned from an injury right before the holiday break and has been locked in over the past month.

In those eight starts, Luukkonen has posted a 7-1 record. Where he's been the most effective, however, is in high-danger situations. The 6'5" goaltender is healthy and using his large frame to stop difficult chances.

According to NHL EDGE, he has surrendered 23 high-danger goals, which is better than 76% of the goalies in the NHL right now. That's also led to a high-danger save percentage of .836, which ranks in the 71st percentile.

Captain Dahlin

The other key part of a team taking the next step is following the path that their leader sets, and right now, the Sabres are going down a winning path led by defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

The team captain is having a phenomenal season. The 25-year-old captain is putting himself on pace for a career-best offensive campaign, and his defensive game has only improved. In 41 games, he has six goals and 26 assists for 32 points, while averaging over 24 minutes of ice time per game.

One area where Dahlin is excelling in particular is on the power play. As the second half of the season continues, Dahlin has been a key part of this team, averaging 3.22 goals per game and raising the team's power-play success rate to over 18%. It's not anywhere near the top of the league yet, but it's in a much better place than it was at the start of the year.

And Dahlin has been funneling shots on net with great results. He already has four power-play goals and 14 power-play points. His previous career best was five goals and 32 points with the man advantage, but he's on track to smash that by season's end.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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