The Buffalo Sabres risk regressing in 2025-26 unless they move toward addressing key needs in the club’s top six forward group this summer.
The 2024–25 season was another difficult one for the Buffalo Sabres. Despite some encouraging indicators in the last month of the season, they finished far from a postseason berth.
In order to help break the team’s nearly ten-and-a-half playoff drought, the Sabres were hoping to retool their roster going into the offseason in order to add reinforcements.
The Sabres, meanwhile, have managed to go the other way somehow. The JJ Peterka trade was the catalyst for that U-turn.
For months, there had been rumors that Peterka was being considered. In particular, the organization looked into transferring the young winger after Peterka, an RFA, appeared unlikely to re-sign in Buffalo.
The Utah Mammoth eventually proved to be a willing trading partner for the Sabres. In return, the Mammoth traded Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan to Buffalo.
Let’s make one thing obvious. Peterka’s return wasn’t too horrible. Simply said, neither Kesslering nor Doan are the kind of players who will set the world on fire.
The Sabres had it in Peterka, and they were unable to regain it.
Apart from that, the club’s actions have mostly been adding depth. The Sabres traded Connor Clifton to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2025 NHL Draft in exchange for Conor Timmins and Isaac Beliveau. Although they are both good NHL players, they are not world-beaters.
The Sabres then acquired Justin Danforth, another depth player, and Alex Lyon, a backup goalie.
Yes, all of the moves are solid. However, they won’t make enough progress to contend with the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. In addition, the Sabres will face the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens for Eastern Conference wild card positions.
That’s a dismal outlook unless something changes quickly.
Buffalo Sabres out of options in free agent market
On the free agent market, the Sabres might have taken care of important needs. The Sabres could have made a difference with players like Nikolaj Ehlers and Brock Boeser.
Instead, Boeser re-upped in Vancouver, while Ehlers took his act to Carolina. Beyond that, there isn’t much to choose from at this point.
The Sabres address crucial needs via the trade market. But how many top-six forwards are available at this point?
The Sabres have been linked to forwards like St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou. But what would it take for the Sabres to get a deal done for Kyrou? Similarly, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell have been rumored to be available in Pittsburgh. But like Kyrou, what would it take to get a deal done?
The Sabres are running out of time to make a move, regardless of the price they pay to get a legitimate top-six forward. Waiting for something to happen is not an option for the team. To locate the components the team needs to compete, general manager Kevyn Adams will have to do whatever it takes.
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