Patrick Kane’s decision to go back to Chicago may have done more than settle one of the summer’s biggest free-agent sagas. For the Buffalo Sabres, it also looks like a strong hint that their offseason shopping may be close to finished.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported Thursday that Kane and the Blackhawks agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract with an $8 million average annual value, ending the future Hockey Hall of Famer’s three-week run in NHL free agency. Buffalo had been listed among the finalists, but the hometown reunion chatter that follows Kane whenever he changes teams again stopped short of KeyBank Center.
That matters because Kane was never just another name on the board for the Sabres. He was the kind of addition that would have pointed to a bigger reshaping of the roster. There was even speculation that a major move for Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck might have been needed first to make room, especially with Buffalo’s forward group already crowded.
Instead, Kane is headed back to Chicago, and the Hellebuyck talk around Buffalo has cooled off over the last couple of weeks. The way things stand now, it feels increasingly possible that Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is done with the headline-grabbing part of his summer.
That doesn’t mean the roster is frozen. Smaller moves could still happen, and Buffalo would not be shocking if it added a depth piece or two before training camp. A physical right-shot defenseman could compete for the reserve spot, and an offensively minded middle-six forward could be brought in to push the group internally.
But those kinds of additions would be complementary, not transformational. The Sabres appear comfortable leaving themselves some salary-cap flexibility for whatever needs pop up during the 84-game season.
There is also a real possibility Buffalo opens the 2026-27 NHL season with the roster it has now. The team already has 16 forwards vying for 13 spots, three goalies on the books, and a few names in the mix for the No. 7 defenseman job, including Dennis Gilbert and Zach Metsa.
That setup makes the Kane pursuit easier to read in hindsight. If Buffalo had landed him, it likely would have set off a chain reaction. Without him, the current group may simply be the group.
Of course, that comes with risk. Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram are gone, and the Sabres have not brought in direct replacements for either player. If Buffalo heads into the season that way, it will be betting on its young core to absorb the loss.
That core is a big part of the organization’s confidence. Owen Power, Josh Doan, Zach Benson, Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius and Jiri Kulich are among the young players expected to help close the gap.
The gamble is obvious: leaning on internal growth can work, but it leaves less room for error, especially in an Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division that are both packed. The playoff race will not leave much breathing room.
Still, Kekalainen’s broader plan makes sense on its own terms. He has been building with an eye on sustainability, not just a quick fix, and that showed when he kept both of Buffalo’s first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft instead of flipping them for immediate help.
The result could be a Sabres team that spends part of the 2026-27 season working through some growing pains while trying to stretch its contention window as far as possible.
In Other News...
Sabres May Finally Have Their Goalie But The Cost Looks Serious
Connor Hellebuycks future in Winnipeg is suddenly looking like one of the bigger goalie stories in the league, and Buffalo is right in the middle of it. EJ Hradek said the Jets may have already seen Hellebuyck play his last game for them, with Winnipeg planning to move him and the Sabres among the teams in trade discussions as they explore whether to land a true difference-maker in net.
The appeal is obvious for Buffalo, which would be getting a proven star if it can get the deal done, but the price is shaping up to be steep. Winnipeg is believed to want a second-center type back, not just a spare part, and the Sabres have already seen their depth tested by the loss of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, making any major swing a delicate balancing act as talks continue without a final agreement. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Be Eyeing Another Risky Answer To A Familiar Need
The Sabres are still shopping for a proven way to bolster their top six after missing out on Patrick Kane, and the search has them looking at players who can bring more than just finishing touch. Buffalo wants someone who can slide into a meaningful role without being a one-dimensional scorer, which is why the latest name tied to the conversation is drawing attention around the league.
Bryan Rust has surfaced as a possible fit because he brings offense and reliable two-way play, the kind of profile that can help a team beyond even-strength minutes. He put up 29 goals and 36 assists in 72 games last season, and that kind of production is exactly why he has been mentioned as someone who could stabilize Buffalos second line while also helping on special teams. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have A Real Answer For Their Scoring Problem
The Sabres are still looking for ways to patch the scoring they lost with the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and the front office appears to be keeping an eye on a familiar kind of solution: a proven veteran winger who can still put the puck in the net. Buffalos cap situation leaves it searching for value, which is why the market for an unsigned scorer has become worth monitoring as the summer drags on.
Vladimir Tarasenko fits the profile of the kind of player that can change the conversation around a lineup in a hurry. He has six 30-goal seasons on his rsum and has still shown he can finish at a useful rate in recent years, including 23-goal seasons in two of the last three campaigns. For a Sabres team trying to replace offense without overcommitting, the question now is whether the fit is as clean on paper as it looks on the ice. [Read more 🡒]