All articles tagged with #buffalo sabres
NHL Network places Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin No. 4 on its 2026-27 Top 20 Defensemen list, after a career year with 74 points, Norris Trophy voting, and a playoff surge that helped the Sabres reach the postseason for the first time since 2011; the eight-year veteran remains a cornerstone despite offseason roster changes.
DAZN will become the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home for MSG Networks and YES Network in the 2026-27 NHL/NBA seasons, giving Sabres fans in-territory access to live games, 24/7 feeds of MSG and YES networks, on-demand highlights, and multi-device viewing, with Gotham Sports App users migrating to DAZN and pricing details to be announced later. In-market fans can still watch MSG via cable or Fubo, while out-of-market fans can continue to stream Sabres games on ESPN+.
Patrick Kane is weighing his unrestricted free-agent options, with Chicago and the Buffalo Sabres as frontrunners. Connor Bedard says a Kane reunion would make the Blackhawks a much better team and he'd be excited to play with him. Kane’s decision timeline is unclear, and while he could serve as a veteran presence on a roster built around Bedard, his next destination remains undecided. Bedard recently signed a five-year, $75 million contract and is 21; Kane turns 38 in November and could influence Chicago’s short- and long-term outlook.
Buffalo signed 22-year-old defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year deal worth about $9 million after acquiring him from Anaheim, hoping he can grow into a top-four role alongside Dahlin and Power and possibly boost the power play after Bowen Byram’s departure; Zellweger posted 7 goals and 13 assists in his first full NHL season and 7 goals and 15 assists last year, with reduced ice time, making this a bridge deal while he remains a restricted free agent with arbitration rights when it expires.
Buffalo Sabres’ 2026 Development Camp features 28 prospects on the ice at LECOM Harborcenter this week, with free on-ice sessions Monday–Thursday. Highlighting the group are first‑round picks Daxon Rudolph and Ilia Morozov, as Buffalo prospect talent from NCAA, USHL, QMJHL and beyond converges to develop ahead of the 2026–27 season, including invites and players from the rest of Buffalo’s 2026 draft class.
Day 2 of the NHL Draft at KeyBank Center sees Buffalo add three picks (Round 4 124th: Olivers Murnieks; Round 5 156th: Doman Szongoth; Round 6 188th: unnamed in the article) after opening Day 1 with Daxon Rudolph (4th overall) and Ilia Morozov (20th). Rudolph, a high-scoring right-shot defenseman, and Morozov, a hardworking two-way forward who moved from Russia, head Buffalo’s 2026 class. Murnieks is a Latvian 6'1" forward/center who played for Saint John and will attend Boston College, while Szongoth is a 6'0" Hungarian-born center with a strong Finland U20 résumé and hockey pedigree. The team will continue coverage of the class throughout Day 2.
The Buffalo Sabres selected defenseman Daxon Rudolph, an 18-year-old right-shot defender from Lacombe, Alberta, with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Rudolph starred for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders (68 games: 28 goals, 50 assists, 78 points; 27 playoff points) and previously won gold at the 2025 U18 World Championship and bronze at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Ranking: fifth among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final list, Rudolph will begin his college career at the University of Denver this fall. The Sabres also drafted forward Ilia Morozov with the 20th pick later that night.
The Ducks traded defenseman Olen Zellweger to the Buffalo Sabres for center Anton Wahlberg and the 45th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, boosting Anaheim’s draft haul to seven selections, including two in the top 50. Wahlberg, a 20-year-old forward, has posted strong AHL numbers (71 points in 140 games over three seasons) with notable SHL experience, while Zellweger, a 2021 second-round pick, recorded 51 points in 164 NHL games and debuted in the 2026 playoffs. The deal underlines Anaheim’s move to reshuffle assets ahead of the 2026 draft.
Buffalo selected right-shot defenseman Daxon Rudolph fourth overall in the 2026 NHL Draft after he posted 78 points in 68 WHL games for Prince Albert and led all WHL defensemen in the playoffs with 27 points; Rudolph will begin his college career at the University of Denver this fall.
Buffalo used the 20th pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to select forward Ilia Morozov, a Moscow-born, U.S.-raised player who starred as a Miami University (Ohio) freshman with 20 points in 36 games. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 10th among North American skaters and praised his pace, two-way IQ, and deceptive release, with TSN’s Craig Button comparing him to Jordan Staal.
The 2026 NHL Draft is in Buffalo, with the Sabres holding five picks including No. 4 and No. 20 in the first round after trades surrounding Olen Zellweger. Round 1 airs Friday at 7 p.m. ET (US ESPN/ESPN+, Canada Sportsnet/TVA Sports); Rounds 2-7 follow Saturday at 11 a.m. ET (NHL Network/ESPN+, Canada Sportsnet). A Draft Reaction Show will stream on the Sabres’ channels after the first round, and a Draft Fan Fest at Ticketmaster Alumni Plaza offers red-carpet arrivals and family-friendly activities for top prospects.
Buffalo acquires 22-year-old defenseman Olen Zellweger from Anaheim in exchange for forward Anton Wahlberg and a 2026 second-round pick; Zellweger, who played 76 games with the Ducks last season and posted 22 points, is renowned for his speed and puck-carrying ability and will be a restricted free agent on July 1, while Wahlberg, a 2023 draftee, had 37 points in 68 games with Rochester last season.
The Washington Capitals acquired forward Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2027 third-round pick (originally from San Jose) and forward David Kampf, after Buffalo signed Tuch to an eight-year, $84 million extension with a $10.5 million AAV. The 30-year-old winger, coming off back-to-back 30-goal seasons (33 goals, 66 points in 79 games), provides Washington with size, two-way reliability, leadership and continued scoring from the forward group.
Bowen Byram was traded from Buffalo to Chicago (along with Jordan Greenway) for the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Louis Crevier, and a second-round pick. The 25-year-old defenseman, who had a career-high 42 points this season, is viewed by the Blackhawks as a top-pair, power-play capable blueliner who could become a long-term cornerstone. Chicago GM Kyle Davidson says he’ll be given opportunities to grow and contribute, and Byram is eager to prove he can blossom into the player he believes he can be, with contract talks likely a priority as he aims to stay long-term in Chicago.
The Washington Capitals acquired Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres in a sign-and-trade, sending forward David Kampf and a 2027 third-round pick to Buffalo; Tuch, who could have hit free agency on July 1, signed an eight-year, $84 million contract with the Sabres, a deal worth an average of $10.5 million per season, after finishing with 33 goals and 66 points in 79 regular-season games for Buffalo this season (plus seven points in 13 playoff games).