2025–26 Buffalo Sabres season

Regular season: correction of spelling of tertiary

← Previous revision Revision as of 18:44, 15 April 2026 Line 46: Line 46:

==Regular season== ==Regular season== This season marked significant change in their goaltending lineup, which started with them not resigning their veteran backup goalie from last season, [[James Reimer]], who became their starter late in the season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ellis |first=Steven |url=https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/three-veteran-nhl-goaltenders-seeking-deals-reimer-samsonov-georgiev |title=Breaking down three veteran NHL UFA goaltenders still on the market |work=Daily Faceoff |date=September 8, 2025 |access-date=January 12, 2026}}</ref> In July of 2025, the team decided to sign journeyman goalie [[Alex Lyon (ice hockey)|Alex Lyon]] to become their backup goalie.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2025/07/10/lyon-ready-to-compete-for-time-in-the-sabres-crease |title=Lyon ready to compete for playing time in the Sabres crease |work=[[Spectrum News|Spectrum]] |date=July 10, 2025 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref> A few days before the season began, the Sabres signed goaltender [[Colten Ellis]] off of waivers from the [[St. Louis Blues]] and he became their tritary option for the rest of the season, with Colten Ellis playing his first ever NHL games during this time period.<ref>{{cite web |last=DeRosa|first=Michael |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/this-buffalo-sabres-move-is-looking-great |title=This Buffalo Sabres Move Is Looking Great |work=[[The Hockey News]] |date=November 18, 2025 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref> This season marked significant change in their goaltending lineup, which started with them not resigning their veteran backup goalie from last season, [[James Reimer]], who became their starter late in the season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ellis |first=Steven |url=https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/three-veteran-nhl-goaltenders-seeking-deals-reimer-samsonov-georgiev |title=Breaking down three veteran NHL UFA goaltenders still on the market |work=Daily Faceoff |date=September 8, 2025 |access-date=January 12, 2026}}</ref> In July of 2025, the team decided to sign journeyman goalie [[Alex Lyon (ice hockey)|Alex Lyon]] to become their backup goalie.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2025/07/10/lyon-ready-to-compete-for-time-in-the-sabres-crease |title=Lyon ready to compete for playing time in the Sabres crease |work=[[Spectrum News|Spectrum]] |date=July 10, 2025 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref> A few days before the season began, the Sabres signed goaltender [[Colten Ellis]] off of waivers from the [[St. Louis Blues]] and he became their tertiary option for the rest of the season, with Colten Ellis playing his first ever NHL games during this time period.<ref>{{cite web |last=DeRosa|first=Michael |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/this-buffalo-sabres-move-is-looking-great |title=This Buffalo Sabres Move Is Looking Great |work=[[The Hockey News]] |date=November 18, 2025 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref>

The planned starting goaltender, [[Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen]], suffered an injury during a preseason game against the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]], which caused him to miss regular season playing time and resulted in Alex Lyon starting for the first few regular season games.<ref>{{cite web |last=Millen |first=Tyler |url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-pittsburgh-penguins-recap-ukko-pekka-luukkonen|title=Luukkonen, Kesselring exit with injuries in preseason loss to Pens |work=[[NHL]] |date=October 1, 2025 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref> Luukkonen was also injured later in the season, suffering a lower body injury that caused him to miss his planned Olympic starts.<ref>{{cite web |last=Acosta |first=Jonathan |url=https://www.wgrz.com/article/sports/nhl/sabres/buffalo-sabres-luukkonen-practices-after-missing-olympics/71-5655c0ce-0738-4953-91a6-65a04e1b7421 |title=Sabres' Luukkonen practices for first time since 'devastating' injury that kept him out of Olympics |work=[[WGRZ]] |date=February 19, 2026 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref> The planned starting goaltender, [[Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen]], suffered an injury during a preseason game against the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]], which caused him to miss regular season playing time and resulted in Alex Lyon starting for the first few regular season games.<ref>{{cite web |last=Millen |first=Tyler |url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-pittsburgh-penguins-recap-ukko-pekka-luukkonen|title=Luukkonen, Kesselring exit with injuries in preseason loss to Pens |work=[[NHL]] |date=October 1, 2025 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref> Luukkonen was also injured later in the season, suffering a lower body injury that caused him to miss his planned Olympic starts.<ref>{{cite web |last=Acosta |first=Jonathan |url=https://www.wgrz.com/article/sports/nhl/sabres/buffalo-sabres-luukkonen-practices-after-missing-olympics/71-5655c0ce-0738-4953-91a6-65a04e1b7421 |title=Sabres' Luukkonen practices for first time since 'devastating' injury that kept him out of Olympics |work=[[WGRZ]] |date=February 19, 2026 |access-date=April 4, 2026}}</ref>