The Buffalo Sabres’ offseason has been busy in spots, but not in the way fans were hoping after a season that ended with the franchise back in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. They knocked off the Boston Bruins in the first round, then ran into a wall against the Montréal Canadiens, and the gap that showed up in that series still hasn’t been fully addressed.
General manager Jarmo Kekäläinen, who replaced Kevyn Adams in December, has spent much of the summer reshaping the roster around contracts and draft capital. That approach has brought movement, but not the kind of upgrade that changes the immediate outlook for next season.
Buffalo has already made several notable deals. The team sent Michael Kesselring and a pick to the Sharks in order to land the 20th overall pick in the NHL draft.
It then swung a major trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to get the fourth overall pick, sending Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway the other way. David Kampf arrived in a trade that sent Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, though Tuch chose to continue his career in Europe.
Devon Levi was also dealt to the Oilers for a pair of picks.
Those draft assets matter for the future, but they do not solve the problem in front of the Sabres right now. The Olen Zellweger deal during the NHL draft was another useful addition, and the club also locked up a few important pieces on longer-term contracts. Even so, the pace has slowed since the draft, and a number of the bigger names Buffalo had been linked to have either gone quiet or signed elsewhere.
One of the most talked-about possibilities was Patrick Kane. The three-time Stanley Cup champion said Buffalo and Chicago were the only places he would consider in free agency, which kept the idea of a hometown return alive for a while.
But that door closed on Thursday, when Kane returned to Chicago on a two-year deal with an $8 million AAV. At that price, Buffalo likely would have been paying a premium for a player who is no longer in his prime, even if he can still help, especially on the power play.
The more pressing need is in goal. Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen helped get the Sabres into the playoffs, but neither posted strong playoff numbers.
Buffalo has also been involved in the conversation around Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. The Sabres were close to a deal at the draft, but Winnipeg turned down their offer.
Since then, the chatter has cooled, and Buffalo may have missed its chance. Hellebuyck has had his playoff issues, but the recent Olympic Gold Medal winner would still be a major addition for any team.
Without Kane or Hellebuyck, the Sabres do not look much different heading into next season than they did in the 2026 NHL playoffs. Kekäläinen appears to have a plan built around the young talent already in the organization, but getting beyond the second round may still require more star power than Buffalo currently has.
In Other News...
Sabres Prospects Are In The Spotlight As One Big Decision Looms
The World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, Ontario, is set to pull together some of the top young talent from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland, and two Sabres prospects will be right in the middle of the Canadian conversation. Samuel Meloche and Daxon Rudolph were among the 32 players named to Canadas roster, giving Buffalo another chance to watch its pipeline talent measured against the best age-group competition in the game.
Rudolph, the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, enters the week with a strong path toward making the Canadian squad, while Meloche is in the mix for a backup role as he competes with Jack Ivankovic, Lucas Beckman and William Lacelle. For the Sabres, the showcase is more than a summer checkpoint. It is another reminder that their prospects are starting to carry real weight on a stage where roster spots are earned quickly and every decision can ripple into the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Forced Into A New Free Agency Debate After Missing Out
The Sabres went into the summer needing more help up front, and the search for it only got more complicated after one of the markets biggest names came off the board. Buffalo had been tied to Patrick Kane, but with that path closed, the front office is back to weighing how best to add a winger who can bring both scoring touch and a little edge to a lineup that still needs more punch.
One name that has surfaced in that discussion is Eeli Tolvanen, who has built a reputation as a hard-working, physical forward with enough offensive skill to matter in a middle-six role. His recent seasons with Seattle showed a player who can chip in at even strength, contribute on the penalty kill and bring a heavier presence than some of the other options still available, which is exactly the kind of fit Buffalo has to sort through now. [Read more 🡒]