Free agency has been fairly quiet for the Buffalo Sabres in 2024 as they have opted for the approach of signing bottom six players, and hoping that their core forwards improve strategy. While there are some reasons to be hopeful for that strategy to work, there is still a hole in their lineup that needs to be filled. Looking at the remaining free agents on the board, there are a few options that could fill it, as some underrated forward talents still remain up for grabs. The Sabres would be wise to look to them as a short-term solution as they continue to develop their young players and bet on them producing this coming season.
Max Pacioretty, LW
At 35 years of age, Max Pacioretty is the oldest player that will be suggested, but that does not diminish what he would bring to this team. He is definitely not the player he used to be as the longtime goal scoring threat has been battling injuries for the past couple of seasons, but he still has the hockey IQ and playmaking ability to be exactly what the Sabres need on their second-line left wing. Sticking him on the left side with Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn would allow him to use the space they would create to be a scoring threat and make plays with the open ice he would be granted.
Pacioretty brings more than just scoring stats to the table; he brings leadership qualities and a winning mentality. He was captain of the Montreal Canadiens for three seasons, and he had been a key member of the Vegas Golden Knights’ regular season and playoff efforts throughout his tenure with them. As he looks for a new team to join, Buffalo has a spot open in their top six, and if they are willing to bet on him while he bets on himself, the opportunity could be a great match for both parties. He gets to join a budding young team, and the Sabres fill the role that they are looking to shore up while he also mentors their young stars along the way. Even if he ends up as a third-line scoring option, it would be worth having him on the team.
Daniel Sprong, RW
Daniel Sprong is more of a long-shot pick here as he has not really been given a true chance to be a top-six player in his career yet. In his last two seasons with the Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings respectively, he has been given slightly more opportunity, but he still remains with an average ice time of less than 12 minutes between them. His scoring ability is really what has my attention and the Sabres could use someone to replace the scoring abilities lost by buying out Jeff Skinner.
Sprong has scored at an over 20-goal pace for the past two seasons, and if given the chance to play with some more pace, and some better players, he would definitely put the puck in the back of the net more. He has a lethal shot, and he is very willing to put the puck on goal. With the Sabres needing some more firepower, he would be exactly what the doctor ordered, and he would not cost them a lot either. They have plenty of cap space to throw a decent contract at him for a 1-2 year deal and give themselves more assurances that the puck will be hitting the opponents’ twine this season. He is a low-risk, high-reward signing, and in the worst-case scenario, they have a third-line scoring player that will put up 20 goals.
Kevin Labanc, RW
Kevin Labanc once was on a top-six trajectory in his career with the San Jose Sharks. He had the playmaking ability, the finishing ability, was defensively sound, and was a hard-working player doing everything a coach could want, and then suddenly the Sharks fell off the map, and so did he. Now he finds himself looking for a new home via free agency, and the Sabres could scoop him up and try to see what a coach like Lindy Ruff could make of him. He still has plenty left in him at 28 years of age, and he still could fit in the Sabres’ top six as a scoring option if they use him the right way.
Of the three players suggested, Labanc is the least likely to fit a role in the top six, but he still has played the role in his career, and played it fairly well. He would be a good stopgap player to hold the spot until Zach Benson is ready to take it over full-time, or to swap spots with newly acquired Jason Zucker depending on the situational need with Cozens and Quinn. Labanc is a versatile player that can be plugged into any spot in the lineup and be useful, and that is where this signing would come in clutch for the Sabres. They would have a utility player to insert on any line for energy, playmaking, or finishing at any point of the game, and he would be ready to go. There still is a lot left in Labanc, and the Sabres would be the perfect team to bring it out of him.
Sabres Need to Fill Top Six Role Before Season
If the Sabres wait too long to sign a player to fill the hole in their top six, or to make a trade, then they are going to struggle when the season comes around. The sooner that the roster is set, the sooner the coaching staff can get to work on setting the line combinations, and getting things together to work on the chemistry of the team. If they wait until the season starts and then notice that they are still in need of someone to fill this role, they are going to struggle out of the gate. It is better to be safe, rather than sorry, and general manager Kevyn Adams needs to have more of a sense of urgency to complete this task.
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There is not much left to pick from in the free agency pool, but these three players still have a lot to offer the Sabres at a discounted price. Teams are obviously not running to vie for these players’ services, as they are still on the board, so the time to act is now before the rest of the teams shore up their rosters and start filling out their residual spots. The Sabres cannot afford to be hesitant as the rest of the Atlantic Division is geared up for the slugfest that will be the 2024-25 season. They have a lot to contend with, so adding every weapon possible is a necessity.
