Fresh off another missed run at the playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres, and their fans expected big moves during the offseason. The rebuild has gone on too long and through too many incarnations to tolerate another mediocre offseason.
Related: 4 Reasons the Buffalo Sabres Can Make the Playoffs
But then not much happened. In the end, this might be a good thing for the Sabres. They will lean heavily on a few players to get the team over the hump and back into the playoffs. Despite the lack of blockbuster moves, this might have been a quality offseason for Buffalo.
Sabres’ Offseason Expectations
Heading into the offseason, the focus was centered on the NHL Draft. Though it wasn’t the trade everyone anticipated, they moved the 11th overall pick to the San Jose Sharks for their 14th overall pick and an additional second-rounder (defenseman Adam Kleber). They then took standout Finnish forward Konsta Helenius with that pick.
The blockbuster trade never came. Management’s biggest move was shipping prospect Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in return for center Ryan McCleod and prospect Tyler Tullio. The deal left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths. So much time and attention had been paid to potential moves the Sabres could have made. Instead, they mostly stood pat, took the best player available in the draft, and transformed the bottom six through trades and free agency.
Sabres Chose the Right Path
In the end, it may have been the smartest move. The Sabres have a deep, talented forward corps with players like Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and J.J. Peterka. A huge shake-up to the top six was unrealistic, but avoiding a massive change was also the best course of action.
Sabres Keep Prospect Pool Deep
Even without Savoie and Zach Benson – who already has a season under his belt and will be back in 2024-25 – from the rankings, the Sabres have one of the best prospect pools in the league. Taking the best player available, Helenius, added another very good prospect to the list.
While there are certainly arguments to be made that there is only so much room available, having too many good prospects is never a bad thing. The best of a group featuring Helenius, Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, Isak Rosen, and others will have had to earn a place with the Sabres.
More importantly, these talented prospects provide the franchise with flexibility, allowing them to make a play for a big name or to walk away from a deal that isn’t cap-friendly because there is someone else waiting in the wings. Any franchise would kill to have that kind of flexibility.
Sabres Preserve Salary Cap Space
General Manager Kevyn Adams has already inked a few deals that will be healthy for the team (or at least presumably so) for the long term. Thompson and Tuch are on very friendly deals, although the latter will be an unrestricted free agent by 2026. Dylan Cozens and his $7.1 million cap hit would look much better with a bounce-back season.
Making a big splash might have been what everyone wanted, but what would it have done to the salary cap structure? Tuch will need a new deal soon. Peterka is a restricted free agent after this season. Ditto for Bowen Byram and Devon Levi. In the NHL, there is always something to deal with in the near future. The Sabres took the smart approach by trying to conservatively restructure their bottom six and hope the top half of the lineup can rebound to their 2022-23 totals.
Sabres Future After 2024-25 Season
Let’s get one thing clear: I wanted to see a big splash as much as anyone else to make the Sabres relevant again. Having said that, it would be all too easy to sacrifice the future to get into the playoffs and fall in the first round. The wrong move would not only have left the Sabres outside of the playoffs but also needing to restructure again. They’ve been there and done that too many times already.
It is hard to ignore the deterioration of the Thomas Vanek/Jason Pominville/Ryan Miller era. It’s impossible to ignore the tank years, the Jack Eichel saga, and everything that has led to this point. But it is important to keep a logical head because even one misstep could put the team back into that territory. The Sabres have a healthy future ahead of them, even if there are the ghosts of the past to overcome.
Sabres Right Now
Ultimately, the anticipation and the desire to reach the playoffs have been overwhelming. The city and the fanbase have suffered far more than any other team in this relatively short time. It’s too early to think about what happens if the Sabres make the playoffs. For the time being, let’s focus on the positive moves, the pieces in place, and how they can get the team back to where it belongs.
