The Buffalo Sabres may not be done shopping for offense, but right now the fit is anything but simple.
That’s the tension around Alex DeBrincat, the Detroit Red Wings winger who was recently floated by Lyle Richardson of Bleacher Report as a possible target for Buffalo before the 2027 NHL trade deadline. Richardson called him a possible match for the Sabres, writing Friday: "DeBrincat has only one postseason under his belt, as do most of the Sabres' core players," Richardson wrote Friday.
"The chance to play for a contender in his contract year could push his game to new heights. He could become a good fit in Buffalo, provided they're not on his 16-team no-trade list."
DeBrincat would bring plenty of punch if Buffalo ever gets serious about making that move. The 28-year-old Michigan native just put up a career-best 85 points, scoring 41 goals and adding 44 assists while appearing in all 82 games for the fifth straight season.
He’s reached 40 goals three times now and has scored 294 times in 696 NHL games with Detroit, Chicago and Ottawa. Drafted in the second round by the Blackhawks in 2016, he’s also turned his undersized 5-foot-8 frame into a non-issue, earning two All-Star selections along the way.
But Buffalo’s problem isn’t finding names. It’s finding room.
The Sabres have already tried to patch the holes left by Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, both of whom were traded this offseason after it became clear they weren’t going to sign long-term extensions. On defense, Buffalo brought in Olen Zellweger, Louis Crevier and Dennis Gilbert to help cover for Byram in the aggregate. Up front, the only notable outside addition so far is veteran winger Conor Sheary, who is tentatively set to begin next season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.
That leaves the Sabres staring at a crowded forward group and a tricky decision as they try to avoid backsliding in 2026-27 after finally snapping their NHL-record 14-year playoff drought last season.
The forward depth chart is where this gets messy. Buffalo has been tied to Patrick Kane since free agency opened on July 1, but that chatter has cooled in recent days. The idea of adding a marquee scorer was also tied to the club’s pursuit of Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a blockbuster that would have likely opened up space by moving bodies out of the forward mix.
As things stand, Buffalo already has more forwards than it can comfortably fit. A player like Zucker, Ostlund or Kulich ending up on the fourth line would be a poor use of talent.
Krebs is also in line for a raise as a restricted free agent who has filed for arbitration, with AFP Analytics projecting an AAV around $3.5 million. And because the Sabres are planning to carry only 13 forwards while keeping a three-goalie rotation, two players from that group could wind up on waivers if no trades happen.
That’s why a move for DeBrincat, or Kane, feels like something Buffalo would have to revisit later rather than force now. The Sabres could use the offense, especially after losing Tuch to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade deal, but the roster crunch is real.
For now, Buffalo seems prepared to roll into the season with what it has unless the Jets lower their asking price on Hellebuyck or another major trade opportunity opens up. If that doesn’t happen soon, Kane may simply choose to sign elsewhere.
Detroit’s side of the picture matters too. The rest of the Red Wings’ offseason hinges on whether center Dylan Larkin is traded, which could set off a chain reaction that includes a DeBrincat move. If that doesn’t happen, the Wings may try to compete early before revisiting the situation closer to the deadline.
And if Buffalo is still looking for more offense by then, DeBrincat could be right back on the Sabres’ radar.
In Other News...
Why Bowen Byram Wanted Out Should Sting Sabres Fans
Bowen Byrams exit from Buffalo is the kind of move that can linger with a fan base, not just because he was dealt, but because the Sabres watched him land in Chicago and quickly commit long term. The Blackhawks gave him the kind of security Buffalo could not, and the new deal only sharpens the sense that the Sabres were never able to get ahead of the situation before it reached the trade market.
For Buffalo, the aftermath is already showing up on the blue line, where the club is sorting through new pairings and trying to see which defensemen can stabilize the group around Owen Power. There is enough depth to keep the conversation going, but not enough certainty to make the move feel painless, and the next few months will say plenty about whether the Sabres can turn the return into something that softens the loss. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have Found The Blue Line Value They Desperately Needed
Buffalos search for help on the blue line took a meaningful turn when Jarmo Kekalainen pulled Olen Zellweger out of Anaheim, sending Anton Wahlberg and a 2026 draft pick the other way. The move gives the Sabres a young defenseman with a clear offensive lean, and the organization didnt waste much time locking him in, either, with Zellweger agreeing to a three-year extension as Buffalo tries to stabilize a back end that has been searching for more puck movement.
The fit makes sense on paper because the Sabres need someone who can step into a more attack-minded role and help absorb the minutes and creativity that disappeared when Bowen Byram was traded. Zellweger arrives with the kind of profile that can change how a defense pair is used, and Buffalo will be hoping the contract proves to be more than just a tidy piece of business as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have A Defense Prospect Fans Need To Watch Closely
Buffalos blue-line future got a lot more interesting when the Sabres used the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Daxon Rudolph, a defenseman prospect whose skill set has already drawn plenty of attention. Prospect analyst Steven Ellis slotted Rudolph behind only Konsta Helenius in the organizations prospect hierarchy, pointing to the kind of puck skills and hockey sense that tend to travel well as players climb the ladder.
For a Sabres system that is still sorting out its long-term shape on defense, Rudolph stands out as a player who could eventually matter in a big way. The fit is easy to see after the Bowen Byram trade, especially if Buffalo is still looking for another puck-carrying defenseman to complement Rasmus Dahlin, while other prospects like Radim Mrtka remain more of a longer-view project than an immediate answer. [Read more 🡒]