The Buffalo Sabres are heading into the trade deadline with something they haven’t had in a while: momentum - and a reason to buy.
After a strong push into playoff contention, Buffalo is no longer a team looking to sell off pieces and build for the future. They’re in the thick of the postseason chase, and even though the hot streak has cooled a bit, the Sabres are still very much alive. That shift in trajectory has opened the door for some intriguing possibilities, especially when it comes to adding reinforcements.
At the center of it all is GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who’s already made his presence felt in Buffalo. Since taking over, he’s brought a clear direction to a franchise that’s spent too many years stuck in the wilderness. One of his first big moves was hiring Marc Bergevin as assistant GM - a familiar face from his network - and now, there’s speculation he could look to another name from his past: Patrik Laine.
Kekalainen and Laine go back to their days in Columbus. Back in 2021, the Blue Jackets made headlines when they acquired Laine in a blockbuster trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg.
It was a bold move, and while Laine didn’t immediately light it up in Columbus, he eventually found his footing. He posted back-to-back 20-goal seasons and earned a four-year, $34.8 million extension in the summer of 2022 - a clear sign that Kekalainen believed in his talent.
But things changed quickly. Injuries derailed Laine’s momentum, and by 2024, both he and Kekalainen were out in Columbus.
Laine was dealt to the Canadiens, where his time has been uneven at best. The 27-year-old has struggled to stay healthy, and his last two seasons have been marred by injuries - including a shoulder issue that limited him to just 18 games in 2023-24.
Still, the upside is impossible to ignore. This is a former 40-goal scorer who, when healthy, has one of the most dangerous shots in the league. And if anyone knows how to get the best out of Laine, it might be Kekalainen.
Back in Columbus, Kekalainen gave Laine the runway to rediscover his game. The team didn’t rush him.
They gave him space to reset and rebuild his confidence. And it worked - for a time.
Now, with Kekalainen calling the shots in Buffalo, there’s a chance for a similar revival. Only this time, the expectations would be different.
In Buffalo, Laine wouldn’t need to be the guy. He wouldn’t be asked to carry the offense or live up to the pressure of a top-line role.
Instead, he could slot into a middle-six spot, where he could focus on doing what he does best: scoring goals. He may never return to his peak form - those three straight 30-goal seasons might be in the rearview - but there’s still a path for him to be a productive 20-goal scorer who helps a playoff team.
The big question is timing. Do the Sabres make a move now, or wait until the summer?
If Montreal is looking to clear cap space and Laine is close to returning from injury, Buffalo could pounce before the deadline. They’ve got the cap flexibility to make it work - and if Laine can get healthy in time for the stretch run, he could be a sneaky addition to a team hungry to end its playoff drought.
If not, there’s always the offseason. Laine could hit free agency, and the Sabres could revisit the idea then, giving him a fresh start with a familiar face in the front office.
Either way, it’s a storyline worth watching. Laine’s career has had its share of ups and downs, but the talent is still there. And in Buffalo, with Kekalainen steering the ship, there might just be another chapter waiting to be written.