The Buffalo Sabres are heading toward the NHL free-agent window with a clear opening to address their wing depth, especially after Alex Tuch signed with Washington. Jarmo Kekäläinen does not have a loaded class to shop from, but there are still a few UFAs who could make Buffalo better in 2026-27.
Three names stand out: Vladimir Tarasenko, Viktor Arvidsson and Jonatan Berggren.
Tarasenko is the veteran swing who could slot right into a top-six role. Since being traded from the St.
Louis Blues to the New York Rangers in 2023, he has bounced around from Ottawa to Detroit to Florida, where he helped the Panthers win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, and then on to Minnesota. Last season was his best since his days with the Blues, as he posted 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points with the Wild.
He is not the same kind of player as Tuch, but he could still help fill the wing vacancy Buffalo suddenly has.
Arvidsson brings the biggest ceiling of the group, even if he might cost the most. He put together a strong 2025-26 with the Boston Bruins, nearly doubling his point total from 27 with Edmonton in 2024-25 to 54.
That kind of production is going to earn him a sizable deal, but his playoff experience and scoring punch make him a natural fit for Buffalo’s second line. In that setup, Noah Ostlund could move back to center, with Arvidsson on the left side opposite Josh Doan, who was previously re-signed.
Berggren is the lower-cost bet, but there is real upside attached to him. He opened the season with Detroit, got released, and was picked up by St.
Louis. Once he arrived with the Blues, he clicked quickly and settled in.
Over 36 games there, he scored six goals and added 10 assists on an offense that struggled to produce. At 25, Berggren still has room to grow, which makes him an appealing depth option if Buffalo wants value without paying top dollar.
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A Major Oilers Blue Liner Is Suddenly At The Center Of Trade Buzz
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For the Sabres, the intrigue is obvious because any serious conversation about elite talent naturally gets their attention, especially when the club is looking to keep climbing in the East. Hellebuycks situation has become one of the more closely watched threads in the league, with Buffalo and Carolina both coming up in the chatter, and the way the rest of the market develops could determine whether this stays as background noise or turns into something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Kane May Be Facing The Choice Sabres Fans Dread
Patrick Kanes next move is shaping up as one of the more intriguing free-agent decisions of the NHL summer, and Buffalo has a real stake in where it lands. The 37-year-old winger is expected to test the market after his season with the Detroit Red Wings, and the Sabres are among the teams believed to have interest as they look for help up front and in a market that doesnt offer many obvious landing spots for a player of his profile.
The wrinkle for Buffalo is the one that has lingered around Kane for years: he is a Buffalo native, which has always given any possible homecoming an extra layer. Reports have linked the Sabres and Maple Leafs to him, with Chicago also in the mix, and the uncertainty only adds to the tension for a fan base that has seen plenty of near-misses. Whether this turns into the long-awaited hometown ending or another pass on Buffalo is still very much unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Evan Rodrigues Just Reopened A Familiar Sabres Debate
Evan Rodrigues latest move is the kind that inevitably drags Buffalo back into the conversation, because his NHL path still traces to the Sabres. He originally signed with the organization after going undrafted, spent multiple seasons in the system, and only later became the sort of reliable, versatile forward other teams kept wanting in their lineup. The New Jersey Devils are the latest club to bet on that version of Rodrigues, adding him as part of a trade that also sent Jacob Markstrom and Angus Crookshank to Florida in exchange for Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and Ben Steeves.
For Buffalo, the familiar debate is less about the trade itself than what Rodrigues has become since leaving. Hes now a two-time Stanley Cup champion, a player with a track record that looks very different from the one he carried when he was still trying to establish himself in Rochester and beyond. With one year left on his contract before free agency, the next question is whether the Devils got him at the right time and whether Sabres fans are left wondering what might have been if his development arc had played out a little differently in their own sweater. [Read more 🡒]