The Buffalo Sabres are rolling-and the timing couldn’t be better. Winners of 17 of their last 21 games, they’ve surged into the Eastern Conference wild-card lead and are suddenly within striking distance of the top teams in the East. It’s been a dramatic turnaround since Jarmo Kekalainen took over as general manager in December, and now the hockey world is watching to see how he’ll put his stamp on this roster.
But if you’re expecting a blockbuster move before the March 6 trade deadline, don’t hold your breath.
According to Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast, Kekalainen might be more inclined to let this group ride than shake things up. And frankly, that makes a lot of sense.
The Sabres have found their rhythm, and Kekalainen knows it. He reportedly warned the team early on that changes were coming if things didn’t improve.
Well, they’ve improved-a lot. So why risk disrupting the chemistry that’s fueling this run?
The Sabres are playing their best hockey of the season, and it’s not just about wins. It’s the way they’re winning-tight, structured, confident. They’ve climbed the standings with a mix of youthful energy and veteran leadership, and they’re doing it while navigating some significant cap challenges looming on the horizon.
One of the biggest financial hurdles? The $6.4 million cap hit from the Jeff Skinner buyout that kicks in for the 2026-27 season. That’s going to tighten the screws on Buffalo’s flexibility, especially with key contracts to sort out.
Front and center in that conversation is Alex Tuch.
Tuch’s situation is a tough one. He’s a heart-and-soul guy-homegrown in every way that matters, a power forward who plays in all situations, and a major contributor on a penalty kill that ranks sixth in the league.
He’s also 29 and reportedly looking for a long-term deal in the $10.5 million per year range. That’s elite money, and while Tuch’s value to the Sabres is undeniable, the analytics suggest caution.
His current market value is estimated around $7.1 million, with projections dropping closer to $5 million over the life of an eight-year extension.
So what does Buffalo do?
There are three main options, and none of them are perfect. They could pay up and lock in Tuch long-term, betting on his leadership and two-way play to remain valuable deep into his 30s. That’s a gamble on aging curves, but it keeps a core piece of the current team in place.
They could trade him before the deadline and try to cash in on his value while they can. That would sting in the short term-removing a key player from a red-hot team-but it could bring back assets that help the team stay competitive longer term.
Or they could hang onto him through the end of the season and hope to work out a deal later. That’s the riskiest path from a management perspective.
If he walks in free agency, Buffalo gets nothing in return. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially for a team trying to build sustainable success.
Kekalainen hasn’t tipped his hand, but he did offer a bit of insight recently, saying he won’t “sacrifice the ultimate goal” of winning a Stanley Cup just to make a short-term playoff push. That’s a clear signal that he’s thinking beyond April. But at the same time, he emphasized that re-signing Tuch is a priority.
“I’ve said right from the start that it is, and we’ll get some answers when we get them, hopefully in the near future,” Kekalainen said.
For now, the Sabres are riding a wave of momentum. The locker room is clicking, the fans are buzzing, and the team is climbing.
There’s a real argument to be made for letting this group keep doing what it’s doing. As Friedman put it: “Don’t mess with happy.”
Still, the clock is ticking. The Tuch decision looms large, and how Buffalo handles it could shape the franchise for years to come.
Whether it’s a bold move or a quiet deadline, Kekalainen’s first big test as GM is here. And with the Sabres finally looking like a team on the rise, the stakes couldn’t be higher.