NHL Rumours: Major Sabres Extensions, Dorofeyev Offer Sheet & Laviolette to Oilers?

In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we start with the Buffalo Sabres, who have a hectic offseason ahead of them with some big contracts to hand out and some tough decisions to make. Next, we look at the Vegas Golden Knights and their complex salary cap situation, which could leave Pavel Dorofeyev as a prime candidate for an offer sheet.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers are looking for their next head coach, and while they still haven’t received permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy, Peter Laviolette could be on the radar as their next bench boss.

Sabres Prioritizing Benson, Tuch Extensions for 2026 Offseason

After a very impressive run through 2025-26, the Sabres have ended their 14-year playoff drought and took the Montreal Canadiens to Game 7 of the second round. The Stanley Cup is always the benchmark for a successful season, but it would be challenging to find many people disappointed in the Sabres’ season.

They will look to carry their momentum into next season and look to go on a deeper run in the postseason, but before they can do that, they have some serious business to take care of.

One of the first moves made by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was to sign Josh Doan to a long-term deal. Looking at their current group of restricted and unrestricted free agents, it would make sense for Kekalainen to follow suit by trying to go long-term with some of them.

Alex Tuch has been at the base of a lot of conversations. If he were to go to free agency, he would be one of the most coveted players and would likely get close to $10 million annually on a long-term deal. The Sabres have been engaged in extension talks all season, but remain far enough apart that neither side has settled yet.

After a 13-game playoff run, Tuch wasn’t as impactful as many had hoped based on the standard he set for himself. There could be some reason for hesitancy on a massive contract after that, but it will be a tough decision to let him walk to free agency and get nothing in return.

For Zach Benson, he is in an opposite situation. Following the regular season, a deal with term would have likely landed around $5 million annually, but after his dominance in the playoffs, it is clear that he has another gear he can hit, and he was one of the most impactful players for the Sabres.

Drawing comparisons to Brad Marchand, Benson could sign a similar deal to the one Marchand had when he was breaking out with the Boston Bruins. While Marchand was 28 years old compared to the 21-year-old Benson, Marchand’s eight-year deal, worth $6.125 million annually, took up 8.17 percent of the cap space, which would equate to $8.5 million annually for Benson.

Marchand signed his contract ahead of the 2016-17 season and then posted back-to-back 85-point seasons. The production is similar between the two before that contract, but Benson has the edge, being seven years younger than Marchand was.

On top of those deals, the Sabres have some depth decisions to make, including the trio of Luke Schenn, Logan Stanley, and Michael Kesselring on defense, who all struggled with the Sabres in their own ways, but do they bring Kesselring back, letting the other two walk?

Dorofeyev a Prime Candidate for Offer Sheet

Looking at the Golden Knights’ salary cap situation, even if Alex Pietrangelo returns to long-term injured reserve, the team will have just $13.4 million in projected space.

Dorofeyev has scored 72 goals over the past two regular seasons and has been tearing up the 2025-26 playoffs so far. He is due for another contract, and with restricted free agent rights, he could sign an offer sheet for the right amount of money.

Dorofeyev will certainly come in under that $13.4 million, but on top of him, they have other players to get done, too.

After paying a high price for Rasmus Andersson, it would be surprising to see him head to unrestricted free agency, but he could command north of $8 million if he is to stick around. Luckily, those are the only two major contracts they need to hand out, but even if they can figure out a way to fit both in under the cap, that would leave them with just 10 forwards and six defensemen.

The offer sheet compensation has been revealed by the NHL, and if a team wants a good chance of bringing Dorofeyev in, it may take at least the second-highest threshold amount to be sure about getting him, which falls in the range of $9,551,332 to $11,939,166, and would cost the team two first-round draft picks, as well as a second and third-round pick.

If a team is going to offer the maximum within that range, it would be a high price, but on a short-term deal to take him, it could make sense.

While 29 teams have the draft picks available to offer the maximum package for Doroveyev, which would be above the $11.939 million stated above, giving up four first-round draft picks would likely deter teams from that deal.

There are 12 teams who currently have the picks to make an offer sheet in the second-highest range. Out of those 12, the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Seattle Kraken may not be willing to do this, as their picks may end up very high in the draft.

Eight teams are in a position to take advantage of the Golden Knights’ cap situation. Will one of them pull the trigger?

Laviolette as Next Oilers Coach?

As the Oilers head into the offseason looking for a new head coach, Cassidy is, of course, the one everyone is keeping an eye on. As they are seemingly awaiting the end of the Golden Knights’ playoff run to get permission to speak with him, they may have to start doing some legwork elsewhere.

Elliotte Friedman reported that there was an initial conversation with Craig Berube, a few other names have been linked, too, but Laviolette could be an interesting one to follow.

Allan Mitchell of The Athletic suggested that Laviolette could be an option, writing that both the coach and team have a “we’re here for a good time, not a long time” approach” to the coaching position. (from Edmonton Oilers coaching search: Top 5 candidates, starting with Bruce Cassidy, The Athletic, May 22, 2026)

Mitchell continues, stating, “Both are interested in winning the Stanley Cup next spring.His teams play at a high pace, and he has a sense of urgency that makes him effective in the short term and tiresome in the long term for the players he coaches.”

Laviolette has, outside of his stint with the Nashville Predators, had a short span with his other teams, often lasting around three seasons.

He won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, went to the Stanley Cup Final with the Philadelphia Flyers and Predators, and a good run with the New York Rangers, too.

For a desperate win-now situation with the looming concern regarding Connor McDavid’s future, would Laviolette make sense? Absolutely.