The Sabres’ next contract conversation may not be about a headline-grabber, but Sam Carrick could still end up mattering a lot.
Buffalo’s 2026 free-agent talk is winding down, with Patrick Kane the only marquee name still seriously tied to the team. After that, the front office will shift its attention to the summer of 2027, and Carrick is one of the players already sitting on that horizon.
The center arrived in March in a trade with the New York Rangers, with Buffalo taking on his contract. He barely had time to settle in before a left arm injury ended his regular season after just 13 games and kept him out for most of the playoffs. That was a tough break, because in his short stint he gave the Sabres exactly the kind of edge they were looking for down the middle.
Carrick finished with 20 hits and five goals in limited action for the Blue and Gold. He also showed he was willing to mix it up, something that stood out in a lineup that has needed more grit at times.
That physical side has been part of his game before, too. He was injured in a fight last year, and he picked up five penalty minutes in Buffalo’s wild 8-7 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in March, a game in which he also scored.
Now the focus shifts to whether he can stay on the ice. Carrick is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027, and his health will play a major role in whether he earns another deal from the Sabres before then.
His current contract carries a $1 million salary, which would make an extension a reasonable cap hit if Buffalo decides to keep him around. But that decision will come down to what he shows once offseason work ramps up in September, then through morning skates, training camp and the preseason.
That stretch matters because the Sabres have seen this kind of thing before. Zach Benson and Peyton Krebs both entered free agency with questions attached, and both played their way into extensions.
Buffalo also recently moved on from Jordan Greenway, a fourth-line piece and physical presence who battled injuries before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. Benson has brought some physicality, but he does not fill the enforcer role the same way.
Depth at center isn’t a problem right now, but the Sabres still need players who can separate themselves from the pack. Carrick has that chance. The next step is proving he can get healthy and stay healthy early next season.
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