The Buffalo Sabres need offense, and they need it now. At this point in the season, the clearest path to getting it is a trade, and Philadelphia Flyers forward Owen Tippett looks like the kind of swing general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has to consider.
Philadelphia’s 4-10-5 start has put the Flyers in a spot where a shakeup could be coming, even with one of those wins coming against Buffalo. Tippett may not be the player Daniel Briere wants to move, but he would likely be the one who brings back the strongest return.
That’s why he makes sense for the Sabres, even if the price would be steep. Tippett is only at two goals and one assist this season, but that slow start sits against a much stronger track record: four straight seasons with at least 20 goals before this year.
He also gets to the dangerous areas of the ice. According to Natural Stat Trick, Tippett has posted 70 or more individual high-danger chances in three of the last four seasons. That kind of finishing profile matters for a team looking for more punch.
The physical side of his game adds another layer. Tippett is a big winger who has averaged more than 138 hits over the past four seasons, giving Buffalo something beyond just scoring. He doesn’t bring much power-play or penalty-kill experience, but the Sabres would be buying the goal production and the edge.
There’s also the contract piece. Tippett is signed for five more seasons at a very manageable $6.2 million AAV, which makes him more than a rental. The catch is a 10-team no-trade clause, which could complicate any deal.
If Buffalo calls, Philadelphia is likely to ask for center help. That’s an area where the Sabres have options, and the Flyers could have interest in Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, or Konsta Helenius. Still, Buffalo should try to steer the conversation toward Ryan McLeod or Josh Norris plus draft picks.
McLeod feels like the cleaner fit. He could slot into the middle six for Philadelphia and is coming off back-to-back 50-point seasons. The money lines up, too, with McLeod carrying a $5 million AAV this season, which makes a deal easier to build.
A move like that would give Buffalo some flexibility in the top six. Tage Thompson could shift back to center with Tippett and Zach Benson on the wings. Another option would be to place Tippett on the second line with Jack Quinn and Noah Ostlund, while moving Doan to the third line with Jason Zucker and Jiri Kulich back at center.
A package built around McLeod and a 2028 second-round pick should be enough to keep Briere engaged and make him think about it. Tippett wouldn’t solve everything for the Sabres, but he would address two major needs and help push them closer to the level they showed last season.
Kekalainen has already tried to land bigger names and come up empty in pursuits of Connor Hellebuyck and Dylan Larkin. Now the focus may need to shift to a target that’s actually attainable. Tippett would still be a meaningful addition for a team that badly needs one.
In Other News...
Sabres Have One Clear Trade Path To Fix Their Biggest Problem
Buffalos blue line is in a better place than it has been in years, with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Daxon Rudolph among the defensemen in the organization and under contract. That kind of depth gives the Sabres something most teams would love to have, but it also creates a roster logjam that can be used to address the one spot that still feels glaringly unfinished up front.
The bigger issue is the same one Buffalo has been trying to solve since Jack Eichel left: finding a true No. 1 center. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has shown interest in adding that kind of top-line pivot, and the most obvious way to make it happen may be to deal from the position where the Sabres are strongest. The question now is whether that surplus on defense can finally be turned into the offensive centerpiece this team has been missing. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Face A Big Konsta Helenius Decision After Rough Start
Konsta Helenius has hit an early snag in his first NHL season, and the Sabres are trying to balance patience with the reality of a 20-year-old forward who has managed just one goal and three points in 11 games. The rough start has been shaped in part by an upper-body injury, but Buffalos view of Helenius has not changed much from the player it watched develop in Finland and in the AHL, where his talent and upside showed up more consistently.
The question now is what gives him the best chance to keep moving forward, because the Sabres are not ready to write him off as a prospect. A trip back to Rochester is on the table if it means more meaningful minutes and a better developmental path, and the organization will weigh that option carefully as it tries to protect both his confidence and his long-term growth. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Still Have One Big Question Despite Luukkonens Recent Rise
The Sabres week offered a little of everything, from a 5-2 win over Columbus to quieter nights in losses to Ottawa and Vegas, and the offense still looks like the bigger concern. Buffalo has scored seven goals in three games and sits 21st in the NHL in goals per game, even with Josh Norris scoring twice against the Blue Jackets and Josh Doan adding another. For a team trying to climb out of the middle of the pack, the mix of finishing bursts and dry spells remains hard to ignore.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has helped steady things in net, giving Buffalo a more reliable presence as the rest of the roster works through injuries and lineup shuffling. Matt Grzelyck, Konsta Helenius, Alex Lyon and Justin Danforth are all either sidelined or still working back, leaving the Sabres to piece together answers in the meantime. The goaltending has been better, but the bigger question is whether Buffalo can get enough consistent scoring around it to turn that into a real run. [Read more 🡒]