The Buffalo Sabres still haven’t landed an NHL free agent this summer, and the latest swing-and-miss was Patrick Kane, who chose to return to Chicago rather than join his hometown team. That one is hard to pin on either side, though, since the Blackhawks’ two-year offer at an AAV of $8 million didn’t match what Jarmo Kekalainen was prepared to go to.
Even with the market thinning out, there are still a few names left who could fit Buffalo on shorter-term deals. At this stage of the offseason, the remaining options are more about questions than guarantees, which usually means less term and less money. For the Sabres, that opens the door to a few veterans worth a look.
Vladimir Tarasenko is one of the more obvious fits. He turned in a strong bounce-back year with Minnesota, putting up 23 goals and 24 assists, then added five points in 11 playoff games for the Wild. He’s 35 now, so the finish line is getting closer, but last season showed he can still matter on a good team.
The power play is where Tarasenko really stood out. He scored five power-play goals, his most since 2021-22, and added eight assists with the man advantage.
That should catch Buffalo’s eye, because the Sabres were one of the worst power-play teams in the league and had real trouble there in the playoffs. Tarasenko also brings Stanley Cup experience, and as a veteran option for the bottom six, he makes some sense.
Michael Bunting is a different kind of add. He’s bounced around a lot, having been traded in each of the last three seasons and playing for four teams over that span. Last year started in Nashville before he was dealt ahead of the trade deadline to Dallas.
The production wasn’t there - just three points in 14 games across the regular season and playoffs - but Bunting has built a reputation as the kind of pest teams like having around. He’ll go to the net, he’ll work the forecheck, and he doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas. Buffalo’s fourth line is already pretty set with Beck Malenstyn, Sam Carrick, and Peyton Krebs, but Bunting would give them another option if they wanted to move Krebs around the lineup.
Patrik Laine may be the most intriguing name of the group. He offers the lowest risk and the highest upside, and if Buffalo is looking for someone who could help replace Alex Tuch’s scoring, Laine is probably the best shot among the available players.
The former second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft has played 10 NHL seasons, and in seven of them he scored at least 20 goals. Injuries have taken a toll, though, and he appeared in just five games last season and only 75 total over the past three years. That limited action could actually work in the Sabres’ favor, since he played fewer than 10 games last season and is eligible for a bonus-laden contract.
There’s also a familiar connection here. Jarmo Kekalainen knows Laine well from his time as general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, having traded for him before. That kind of familiarity could matter when weighing whether Laine would be the right fit.
Buffalo already has 15 forwards under contract, so there may not even be room to add another one. But if the Sabres decide there’s still an opening, Tarasenko, Bunting, and Laine all offer different kinds of appeal.
In Other News...
Sabres May Finally Have Their Goalie But The Cost Looks Serious
Connor Hellebuycks future in Winnipeg is suddenly looking shaky, and the Sabres are right in the middle of the conversation. EJ Hradek raised the possibility that the Jets goalie may have already played his last game for the club, with Winnipeg apparently preparing to move him and Buffalo among the teams talking as both sides explore what a deal might look like.
The appeal is obvious for Buffalo, which would be getting one of the leagues premier goalies and a major on-paper upgrade. The price, though, is where this gets tricky. Winnipeg is believed to want a second-center type back, and the Sabres have already seen depth come off the roster with Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram gone, so any serious push for Hellebuyck would have to balance the urgency of landing a star against the cost of stripping more from the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Be Eyeing Another Risky Answer To A Familiar Need
The Sabres are still sorting through the fallout of missing out on Patrick Kane, and the search for another top-six answer has pushed them back into the trade market. Buffalo has a clear need to add more scoring and stability up front, and the conversation has started to turn toward players who can bring both offense and reliable two-way play.
One name that has surfaced is Bryan Rust, whose production last season showed why he would draw interest from a team looking to deepen its lineup. He finished with 29 goals and 36 assists in 72 games, a kind of output that could make him an appealing fit for Buffalos second line while also giving the club help in special teams situations. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have A Real Answer For Their Scoring Problem
Buffalos search for extra offense has taken on a familiar urgency after the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram left another hole to fill. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen is still weighing ways to replace that production, and the Sabres are at least looking in the direction of a veteran scorer who could bring a proven finishing touch without forcing the roster into a corner.
The appeal is obvious on paper: an unsigned winger with a track record of putting up big goal totals and enough experience to slide into a top-six role if the fit is right. What makes the situation worth watching is whether the contract side can line up with Buffalos cap picture, because if it does, the Sabres may have a realistic path to adding the kind of scoring punch that has been missing. [Read more 🡒]