The Sabres are in the market for offense, and Mats Zuccarello has to be on the board.
With Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram gone, Buffalo is staring at 44 goals it now has to replace. That’s why GM Jarmo Kekalainen is being pushed toward offensive help, whether that comes through a trade or a free-agent addition. The goal is clear: ease some of the burden on younger players like Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund, while also finding someone who can bring leadership, toughness, or both to the middle six.
Zuccarello fits that conversation better than most. The 39-year-old winger is far from slowing down, even after seven seasons with the Minnesota Wild.
Minnesota let him walk last season, but he still produced like a player much younger than his age. Over the past five seasons, he has averaged 63 points, and last year he put up 54 points in 59 games, including 15 goals and 39 assists.
He also added nine points in eight playoff games.
There’s another reason his name makes sense in Buffalo: Lindy Ruff knows him well. Ruff was an assistant in New York from 2017-19, when Zuccarello was with the Rangers.
The wrinkle now is that Zuccarello is no longer available on the open market. He signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings on July 1, with a $1 million base salary, $5.5 million in performance bonuses, and a full no-trade clause.
That doesn’t necessarily shut the door. Los Angeles is expected to contend for a wild card spot in the Western Conference, but if things go sideways, GM Ken Holland could end up moving rentals before the trade deadline. Corey Perry, Joel Armia, Darcy Kuemper, and possibly Drew Doughty are all mentioned as possible trade pieces if the Kings decide to sell.
In Other News...
Sabres Could Face A Massive Crease Decision For One Proven Goalie
If Winnipeg ever decided to move Connor Hellebuyck, the ripple effects would reach plenty of teams that have spent years trying to stabilize the most important spot on the ice. Among the clubs mentioned in the speculation is Buffalo, a reminder that the Sabres are always one more proven crease answer away from changing the tone of their roster discussions. The idea makes sense on paper because Buffalo has been searching for lasting certainty in net, and Hellebuyck would instantly become the biggest name in any goaltending market.
The difficult part for Buffalo is what a deal of that magnitude would ask in return. Any serious pursuit would almost certainly start with major assets, and the Sabres would have to decide how far they are willing to go to chase a goalie who could reshape the entire depth chart. For a team still trying to balance present improvement with future value, that kind of decision would not just be about whether Hellebuyck is available. It would be about how much of the organization Buffalo is ready to put on the table to get him. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Cant Afford To Let Columbus Cost Them Again
The Sabres are heading into the 2026-27 season with a familiar kind of test on their schedule, one that can look routine on paper and still matter a great deal in the standings. Columbus is not viewed as one of the Eastern Conferences heavierweights, even with a few promising young pieces, which is exactly why these meetings stand out for Buffalo after a successful 2025-26 campaign.
For a team trying to stay in playoff position, games like this cannot turn into wasted points. Buffalo needs to treat the Blue Jackets as a must-handle opponent and avoid giving away ground in a season where every small slip can reshape the race, especially when the schedule brings these two teams together more than once. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Goalie Debate Just Got More Uncomfortable For Opening Night
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen walked into the offseason already knowing the Sabres goalie situation could be a talking point, and it only got louder once Connor Hellebuyck trade rumors surfaced around Buffalo. The Sabres have at least explored the idea of adding the Winnipeg Jets star as a possible upgrade, but no deal has materialized, leaving Luukkonen in the same uncertain spot he occupied when the season ended.
Luukkonen has not been handed a direct update from the organization, but the broader message is clear enough: Buffalo is still weighing its options between staying the course and making a major move in net. That backdrop makes his reflection on the playoffs especially relevant, since the young goalie has already lived through the pressure of a postseason run and the difficulties that came with it, even before the front offices latest round of goalie speculation. [Read more 🡒]