The Buffalo Sabres are gearing up for a pivotal season. We’ve already taken a look at the goaltending situation and what the team needs to do to take the next step to finally get back into the playoffs. Though there are still promising prospects in the pipeline, the picture of the future must include a 2026 Playoff appearance. Here’s a look at the Sabres’ defensive core and how it shapes up for the 2025-26 season.
Top Pairing – Rasmus Dahlin/Bowen Byram
After re-signing restricted free agent Bowen Byram this offseason, the Sabres have made their move for the next two seasons. Byram has shown his potential since being acquired for center Casey Mittelstadt, racking up a career-high 31 assists and 38 points last season.
At 24 years old, Byram has the skills to be a top-flight NHL defenseman. When paired with Dahlin – and the two spent more than 600 minutes together at five-on-five – the duo posted a plus-20 goal differential. Playing with Dahlin on a nightly basis could be the key to fully unlocking Byram.
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
Then there is Rasmus Dahlin. The 25-year-old Swede is among the best defensemen in the game. No matter who he plays with, Dahlin flourishes. He was outstanding in an otherwise ugly 2024-25 season, scoring 17 goals and 68 points.
Playing the two together all season will give the Sabres a legitimate top pairing. Many expect Dahlin to take the next step forward, even challenging for the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. This duo is capable of eating a lot of minutes, providing quality defensive play, and being dynamic offensively.
Second Pairing – Michael Kesselring/Owen Power
This is the wild card of the group. Owen Power returns for his fourth full season with the Sabres. The first overall pick in 2021 had his best offensive season to date with seven goals, 33 assists, and 40 points – all career-highs in 2024-25.
Related: Is 2025-26 When Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin Finally Wins the Norris Trophy?
It wasn’t all sunshine and flowers, however. Despite being 6-foot-6, 226 pounds, Power looked weak in his own zone, especially in front of the net. He doesn’t have the mean streak to be a dominant net-front presence, but he has to get better in his own zone.
That is where Michael Kesselring comes in. The 25-year-old defenseman arrived via the trade that sent the disgruntled J.J. Peterka packing. Though he wasn’t the top-six forward everyone had hoped for, Kesselring could be the key to the defense. When pressed into top four minutes for Utah last season, Kesselring exceled. He is the tough, physical, stay-at-home defenseman who could unlock Power.
With greater freedom to roam and play to his strengths, Power could take a major leap forward offensively. Who knows? Watching a defensively responsible partner could teach Power a thing or two as well. If this pair is everything Sabres fans hope it will be, there won’t be a big drop-off between the top two pairings.
Third Pairing – Mattias Samuelsson/Conor Timmins
Samuelsson is easily the most controversial presence on the blue line. In the middle of a huge extension signed a couple of seasons ago, he has found it impossible to remain healthy. Last season, he struggled defensively even when he remained in the lineup.
Mattias Samuelsson, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Acquiring Timmins may be one of the most underrated moves of the offseason. Last season, while playing for a miserable Pittsburgh Penguins team, he provided an invaluable presence, eventually moving his way up the lineup.
This could and should be the tough, physical, defensively reliable pairing. Samuelsson may never play 80 or more games, but getting north of 70 would be a huge win this season, while Timmins can be that reliable partner in all facets, which should make the Sabres’ defense tough to play against, no matter who is on the ice.
Sabres’ Emerging Defense Unit
Though the changes aren’t wholesale – Timmins and Kesselring in, Connor Clifton out and Jacob Bryson in a reduced role – it appears as if they are the right ones. The top four could be (on paper, at least) one of the best in the NHL.
The Sabres are hoping that the addition of Kesselring and the regular pairing of Byram with Dahlin can unlock the potential of the top four. With Timmins and Samuelsson in a complementary role, the hope is that this is the season when the Buffalo Sabres’ defense emerges as a strength.
