3 Buffalo Sabers Players Not Ready For Playoffs – Hockey Writers – Buffalo Sabers

The Buffalo Sabers had an amazing season in 2025-26, and nothing can take that away from them. Regardless of how the season ended, and how things may still be sour because of not reaching the level they wanted, there are still many good things that happened during the season and in the playoffs.

That said, there is also a bit of criticism and reflection on how the team has played in the postseason as a whole, and which players have looked out of place. Looking back on their short-lived playoff run, there were a few players who stood out for the wrong reasons.

Logan Stanley, Defender

Of the players on this list, Logan Stanley had the most prior playoff experience. Having played in 17 playoff games for the Winnipeg Jets, he should have had a higher hand and a better understanding of what it took to play the way he needed to, but unfortunately, he was one of the best players ever. Stanley finished his last season with the Sabers with a total of eight games played, zero points, a minus-2 average, just six total shots, and a disappointing 10 hits.

While Stanley isn’t really expected to be an offensive threat or playmaker by any means, he was brought in to be a steady defender with some unique physicality to him. The problem was that he was not in the right form in the games he played.

On top of that, he played poorly when head coach Lindy Ruff cut him from the roster in favor of other prospects. Stanley was very slow to catch up by the time the second round came around, and he didn’t perform as well as expected in the first. It was disappointing to say the least.

Josh Norris, Center

Much excitement surrounded how Josh Norris would play in the playoffs; how would he face some high level competition as a top player for the Sabres. Then it started to happen, as he was injured again in the first round, and when he was ready to return, he was initially benched in favor of striker Noah Ostlund, who had made him very successful when he entered his place.

Norris finished the playoffs with 10 total games played, one goal and two assists. As one of the team’s top scorers, and easily one of their best scoring options, putting one goal in the back of the net (and it being an empty net, mind you) is unacceptable in every way.

I remember watching play after play and yelling on the ice begging Norris to shoot the puck or at least hit the net. The times he was close but didn’t have the ability to finish were painful. He was someone who needed to make a difference, but he failed on every metric.

Ukko-Pekka Luukonen, Goaltender

It’s hard to put this word here without people thinking I’m going to blame him for allowing the last goal against the Montreal Canadiens. The truth is that even without that mistake on the part of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, he still had enough general problems, along with his big mistakes, to really show how unprepared he was for the pressure of the playoffs. From the long jump to the final goal, there is a lot left on the table for Luukkonen.

Luukkonen posted a 3-3-0 record and a 3.18 goals against average (GAA), along with a .876 save percentage (SV%). He got off to a good start in the first game against the Boston Bruins, but struggled to find his footing after that. Yes, the numbers show that he had a great game, but watching him play, the struggle was obvious.

He reverted back to some of his old bad habits (over-commitment, slow glove due to reaction instead of anticipation, and losing his cool when many passed him), and that really hurt the Sabers in the long run. There was a reason, beyond the skill set, why Ruff opted to switch to Alex Lyon after Luukkonen struggled, and it showed in his poor performance.

Who Remains, and Who Goes?

There’s no reason to keep players who choke under pressure or don’t play their part for most of the playoff series. Are there others who might be in the hot seat for this same reason? Yes, sure, there is, but focusing on these three addresses the Sabers need to address some of their core issues.

I honestly think they should find a way to get ahead of them all. Acquiring improved assets and players is very important, and not to mention, the Sabers still have some solid prospects to choose from. Trading the last of these players, whether together or separately, would get them a much-needed upgrade, while leaving room for their hopes of breaking into the NHL full time.