EXCLUSIVE: The Buffalo Sabres’ checklist for the offseason

With the exception of a few clubs who are still in the playoffs, all teams are in the offseason. It’s time to assess what they will have to do in the upcoming months as a result. Let’s take a look at Buffalo next.

It appeared as though this year might be the one in which the Sabres advanced and made the playoffs. They were bringing back the majority of one of the league’s highest scoring squads, and they were hoping that Devon Levi would provide steadiness in goal. However, things didn’t go as to plan.

Levi played more AHL games than NHL ones, but he was overmatched in the early going and is still a part of their long-term plans. They fell out of the top three and into the bottom 20 in that category, losing 50 goals from their 2022–2023 total, which meant they missed the playoffs once more.

GM Kevyn Adams took swift action, replacing Don Granato, who was sacked following the season, as head coach with Lindy Ruff. But in the upcoming months, there will also be a lot of work to be done in terms of the roster.

Extension discussions

In order to understand the necessary additions, let’s take a closer look. Three of the Sabres’ most important players are about to enter the final year of their contracts and will be eligible for extensions on July 1.

J-J Peterka, a forward, was among the few players to advance offensively this season; he went from scoring 12 goals in his debut season to 28 goals and 50 points. It would be worthwhile for the Sabres to investigate the expense of an early contract if they believe he can reach a higher level in 2024–2025. If the offer is improved any further, a long-term contract should cost at least $5.5 million, if not more.

Adams has been assertive in closing some of these kinds of deals, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him inquire about the price of a long-term agreement with the 22-year-old.

The other noteworthy forward in this scenario is Jack Quinn, although his circumstance is distinct. He played in just 27 games this season due to injuries, but he was effective in those games, scoring 19 points and significantly raising his per-game average. However, he has only played in 104 games, thus a long-term contract might not be possible.

But they might try to negotiate an early bridge agreement, which would provide Quinn some stability following a season marred by injuries and might also offer Buffalo a reasonable price if Quinn had a breakthrough year. Quinn might not sign right away until the price tag starts at three figures.

Bowen Byram comes next. After being acquired from Colorado at the deadline for Casey Mittelstadt, he was able to stay healthy for the most of the season and responded with a career year, scoring 29 points in 73 games and averaging nearly 22 minutes per night. It’s safe to say Buffalo has long-term ambitions for him, so they’ll probably want to lock him up sooner rather than later given what they gave up to get him.

Given his history of injuries, the amount shouldn’t be as high as Owen Power’s recent $8.35 million contract, but it should still definitely surpass $6 million. Notably, they will need to make a compelling offer to get him to sign a contract early because he is entitled to a qualifying offer of $4.62 million with arbitration rights next summer.

Adams should try to find out as soon as possible what each player is seeking for, even though it’s improbable that all three will sign new contracts this summer. That information will help them with the remainder of their summer spending plans.

Sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen again

Even though Levi was unable to secure the top spot, Buffalo had some positive news in the dugout this season. After a difficult start to the season, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned things around in the second half, going on to register a.919 SV% over the course of 36 games after January 1.

The Sabres were able to stay in the postseason race for a longer period of time than initially appeared because to that performance.

Luukkonen’s progress came at a fortuitous time, as he is qualified for arbitration and can enter restricted free agency this summer. It appeared in the middle of the season that he wouldn’t be able to command a big deal as a backup with some doubts. After his second half, the 25-year-old at least has some bargaining power going into the talks.

This negotiation may proceed in one of two ways. With just 100 NHL games under his belt, it would be challenging to come to a mutually agreeable long-term contract. It is also conceivable that they would prefer not to have Luukkonen restricted for so long if Levi is still their planned starter going forward. Currently, it’s also important to note that he has two years until he becomes eligible for the UFA.

The choices are a one-year contract or a medium-term agreement that purchases an additional year or two of club control, assuming the Sabres don’t want to sign him to a contract that walks him straight to the open market. In the event that the former applies, the contract’s estimated value is $3.5 million.

Regarding the latter, Filip Gustavsson of Minnesota’s three-year, $3.75 million contract is probably going to be utilised as a starting point in talks with a price tag that is starting to creep into the $4 million region. Given their compensation structure, they should be able to afford both netminders in this price bracket, even when Levi becomes more expensive in 2025–2026 when he requires a new contract.

Speaking of goaltending, the Sabres will also require the addition of an experienced goaltender this summer. Since Levi still enjoys waiver exemption, they might eventually choose to give him a few starts with AHL Rochester, which would make having a reliable third option on hand necessary. Many of those players will be available in free agency, but it would be advantageous to add someone who they can rely on to play when things get tight.

Put in a top-six winger

There is still a clear need to add, especially on the wing, even though there is a case to be made for holding off on making any kind of panic move given their season’s dramatic scoring decline and hope that Ruff can help rekindle their offence.

Though they are not far away and are on the rise, guys like Jiri Kulich, Matthew Savoie, and Isak Rosen can still gain from some minor league experience or being gradually introduced to the NHL.

Assuming Levi is back up full-time, they now have about $65.5M in obligations for the upcoming season, according to CapFriendly. They must sign Luukkonen, a handful of defenseman (including Henri Jokiharju, who is owed a $2.6 million qualifying offer), and up to six forwards with the money that is left over.

That’s one of the league’s better cap situations, and Adams will have plenty of room to make an impact if he so chooses.

A move at the top of the market might not be the best course of action given some of the contracts that are approaching; this is where the information from the early extension conversations comes in handy. If their 2025 RFAs suddenly become much more expensive, it might lead to a slight cap crisis.

A layer down, though, are several choices, such as shorter-term veterans like Tyler Toffoli, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jonathan Marchessault, if he doesn’t re-sign in Vegas, and even Patrick Kane, who has been a Buffalo target for some time. Someone like Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, or Jake DeBrusk makes sense if they’re looking for a longer-term solution.

All of those players should strengthen their forward group and fall within their long-term salary structure. That might provide the Sabres with a significant boost for the upcoming season, along with at least some internal offensive improvement.

Increase the centre depth

Buffalo had good centre depth for the first three quarters of this season with Mittelstadt joining Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens. They were able to deal with it by using Mittelstadt to acquire Byram, but they now have to cover that position.

After the trade, Peyton Krebs had a closer look in the middle of the pitch, but he didn’t exactly take advantage of it, finishing the season with just four goals. He’s a pending RFA, but after being a significant scorer in junior, it’s worth keeping an eye on him to see if Ruff can help him regain that aspect of his game.

Both Tyson Jost and veteran Sabre Zemgus Girgensons have been inconsistent this season and are unlikely to make a comeback. Before being sent to Florida at the trade deadline, Kyle Okposo did the same. If Savoie needs some time in the minors to start, then internally, there aren’t any centres from Rochester that are probably going to be fighting for a spot on the roster come training camp. As a result, there are probably two openings, if not more.

Again, they will have many of options if there is enough cap room. They might have enough money, depending on their actions on the wing, to challenge Sean Monahan and have that solid third option they had while Mittelstadt was still in place.

Although Chandler Stephenson might cost a little more, the concept would still hold true for him. In that third capacity, Alexander Wennberg might also work well as a backup who could step up quickly in the event of an injury.

The Sabres pursuing a seasoned fourth liner wouldn’t be shocking. This club is devoid of veterans due to a protracted reconstruction and a lack of postseason experience. Even on the wing, if they decide to go into free agency or the trade market to add a couple of players with less experience, it appears that they will aim to add some experienced players.

However, they must, at the at least, restock their centre depth, so for the next months, anticipate them to be active in that regard.