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Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

Sabres’ Star Players Need To Start Producing Something… Anything

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jacob D. Strozyk | Last updated Nov 7, 2025 10:10 AM ET

With each passing game, it gets more and more embarrassing to see the lack of production that is coming from the Buffalo Sabres’ scoring and star players. With their most recent loss (a shutout by the St. Louis Blues) coming on home ice, and it featuring some poor efforts and finishing examples from the likes of their best players once again, it is starting to become a pattern; one that they need to shake off sooner rather than later if they want to be anywhere near the playoff race by the end of December. For most teams, being a few points out of contention is not a reason to panic, but for the Sabres, no points can be wasted. Especially early on.

Sabres Scorers Need To Score

It is a very simple reality. The Sabres’ scorers need to put the puck in the back of the net. The players that they would typically rely on, or at the very least, expect to put the puck in the net, have not been doing so recently, or for the majority of the season so far.

Tage Thompson has had a slow start with only five goals in 14 games, Alex Tuch also only has five goals, Jack Quinn only has three goals, and Jiri Kulich also only has three goals. On top of that, of those 16 total goals scored, three of them have been on the power play, and two have been by Quinn. This grouping’s abysmal showing with the man advantage this season has been nothing short of embarrassing to watch, and they need to step it up.

This begs the question: Is it a chemistry issue? Are they just not clicking? As a whole, none of them are able to find the open space that they need, and when they do, they are much more likely to pass the puck off to someone else (for some reason) rather than taking the shot themselves. It infuriates me to no end to see the players with the best shots on this roster pass up scoring chances from prime shooting positions just to make a “prettier play” or a “selfless pass” happen. No. You are the one with the better shot. Take it, and score the goal. All of them need to start playing more selfish with the puck, and it will start going in more.

Rasmus Dahlin Needs to Find Himself Again

This topic is a little more sensitive because of his off-ice issues. There is no easy way to get back into a good headspace when someone struggles with a family tragedy like Rasmus Dahlin did over this past year. With his fiancé being sick, and him needing to be the backbone of this hockey team, he has a lot on his mind and a lot of weight on his shoulders, and that is enough to make any person distracted, let alone a 25-year-old budding NHL captain of a sinking franchise.

Even with all of that going on, Dahlin can still be the resilient and difference-making player that they need. As of right now, he is at least putting up a decent amount of points with nine in 14 games, but his awareness on the ice and his need to try and overdo things have gotten in his way. He does not look composed and rigid like he has in the past few seasons. He needs to find his center and get back to playing simple, shut-down hockey like he is good at, and then the offensive chances will find him like they always do. If his teammates up front start putting the puck in the net for him, the ice will open up even more, too.

Play Aggressive and Go Win Some Games

As a team, the Sabres have been playing too passively. They sit back and let other teams come at them when they should be the ones pressing the attack and using their speed to run the opposition over. They aren’t the small and meek team that was around 5-7 years ago anymore. They have size, skill, and speed, and for some reason, they aren’t using it every night. On the nights that they do, they control plays and actually look like a solid hockey team, but the second they let off the gas, they fold like a sun-dried lawn chair.

There is so much more that this team is capable of, and it is tiring to watch them throw away points when they possess so many good pieces to accomplish what they need to. Yes, the injuries are stacking up, but that cannot be an excuse when most of their top players are still playing on a nightly basis. There isn’t any time to waste points on weak losses and handing wins to teams with bad overtime losses. These stars and scorers need to get it together and start being the solution. Stop talking about it, and actually BE the solution in the room for once.