For the last 22 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 23rd annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

Gone: James Reimer, Jacob Bernard-Docker, JJ Peterka, Sam Lafferty, Connor Clifton,

Incoming: Alex Lyon, Conor Timmins, Isaac Belliveau, Michael Kesselring, Josh Doan, Justin Danforth

Impact of Changes

This team did practically nothing to change the makeup of the roster this offseason. The only moves of relevance were resolving the Byram and Peterka contract situation by trading Peterka and keeping Byram. They also brought in a backup goalie upgrade in Alex Lyon for the departing James Reimer.

Michael Kesselring brings them a strong depth piece on defense as he's coming off a 29-point season with 87 hits and 67 blocks, providing a +4 on a young Utah team. Lyon is coming off a 30 game season where he produced a 2.81 GAA, which should provide some stability behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after James Reimer posted a disappointing 2024-25 stat line.

Ready for Full Time

Isak Rosen: The dark horse in the battle for a top six role. Rosen led Rochester with 55 points despite being recalled to the NHL five different times. A quick and technical skater with a knack for great shot selection it will be interesting to watch how quickly he ascends this season and if he can get in front of Jack Quinn in the pecking order.

Devon Levi: Recent contract negotiations and word out of the organization is that despite long being pegged as the goalie of the future for the Sabres, 2025 will not be the year of Levi. It is a shame as he really has nothing left for the AHL and one would have to think he could outperform Alex Lyon over a full season of backup goalie starts. Barring injury, we will have to wait for 2026 for another chance at full-time Levi.

Fantasy Outlook 

The Sabres were deceptively 10th in total goals in the NHL last year despite finishing 14th in the East in their first year under the returning Lindy Ruff. The lineup is mostly unchanged with just the departure of Peterka from the core lineup, so the floor should be a top 15 scoring team and the ceiling is inside the top 10 if they can get steps forward from members of their young core such as Jack Quinn, Jiri Kulich, and Zach Benson. Speaking of Quinn, it's now or never for the former #8 overall pick, who has averaged 14:33 of ice time per game over his first four years in the NHL. After signing a bridge deal, all the pressure is on him to at least crack the 40-point threshold for the first time and hopefully more than that as he pushes for JJ Peterka's role.

Tage Thompson bounced back from a 52-point 2023-24 season to post 72 points and should be a threat for 80 again in 2025-26. Josh Norris is an absolute wildcard. Having played less than 60 games every season since 2021-2022 and having played just three games with the Sabres, Norris could be a huge boost to the offense or fail to gel and set the team back a few steps. Then again, he could suffer yet another early injury and be a non-factor. The team and fans alike hope it is the former as adding a 50-point veteran to a young team is a path toward to finally making the playoffs.

On the defensive side, there is hope for former #1 overall pick Owen Power to break out into an elite defensive superstar. Byram has to find another gear and crack 40 points or step up defensively if he wants any kind of real contract after his current bridge deal.  Luukonnen survived offseason rumors of being the odd man out and now seems primed to run away with the 1A role. He will look to make that role a product of his play and not because he was the only option, as he's coming off a disappointing 24-24 record with a 3.20 GAA.

Fantasy Grade: C+ (Last year: B)