In this edition of Buffalo Sabres News & Rumors, I’ll review what I believe might happen during the offseason as the team looks to take advantage of its offensive prowess and its young emerging lineup. The upcoming regular season is one of optimism.
What moves might the team make? How can it best take advantage of its young and emerging core of talent? What areas of the roster might need some shoring up? Would the team be willing to trade one of its young goalies? There’s a lot to look forward to as the coming season approaches.
The Sabres Have a Potentially Great Lineup
The Sabres’ top four forwards include Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Dylan Cozens. Last season, they combined for 149 goals and 323 points, and the team saw breakouts from players like Casey Mittelstadt, Jack Quinn, and J.J. Peterka. These players should provide both depth and the potential for offensive growth.
With the team’s cadre of promising prospects and established stars, could this be the season the Sabres become one of the most dangerous offensive lineups in the NHL?
Will the Sabres Utilize Their Salary-Cap Flexibility?
One aspect of possibility for the team is the flexibility they potentially have to make acquisitions through trades. Right now, the Sabres have 21 players signed and over $16.9 million in salary-cap space available, meaning the team could potentially acquire a high-impact veteran player. Could Ryan O’Reilly be convinced to return to Upstate New York and the team he played for three seasons?
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And should the team wish to do so, it could make a splash by going after Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. He’s a fit that could, if things fell well for the team, push them over the hump toward more success than the team has had in many seasons.
Sabres Need to Improve Their Goaltending and Defense
If the Sabres are going to put on a push next regular season, they will need to address the team’s goaltending and its needs on the blue line. Acquiring an experienced defenseman and a solid goalie would seem to be crucial steps in the team’s evolution. For example, an older but solid Semyon Varlamov might be a potential fit to go along with the youngsters who would be vying for a position in the Sabres’ crease.
Sabres Have Playoff Aspirations and a Promising Future
The Sabres might not be under huge pressure to make the playoffs after a lengthy drought, but they have more than a decent chance. Given all the success that happened last season, this could be the season for the inevitable to happen. The team should be Uber-competitive.
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The team’s run for the postseason in 2022-23 gave fans a chance to see how the core of this team is maturing together. Personally, I predict that the Sabres might rise to become a beast of the East. Things would have to fall together nicely, but they certainly could.
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There’s no doubt that last season’s rise in the standings also fuels high expectations. The team has a solid young core of players. I noted forwards Thompson and Cozens earlier, but there are some young defensemen who have a high upside. Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin provide a promising foundation.
Sabres Already Have Two Young Goalies With Upside
Currently, the Sabres have two young but potentially solid goalies in Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Levi, in particular, came up and gave Sabres fans immediate hope. He carried most of the load as the team was scrambling for a postseason berth.
When the ice chips melted at the end of the season, in his small sample size, Levi had put up a 5-2-0 record, a 2.94 goals-against-average (GAA), and a .905 save percentage in seven games with the team. The 21-year-old also posted a 2.24 GAA and a .933 save percentage in 34 NCAA games with Northeastern University in 2022-23.
Would the Team Trade Luukkonen?
There is some speculation suggesting that the Sabres might explore a trade involving goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Should Sabres general manager (GM) Kevin Adams believe the team needs to sign a free-agent goalie or acquire one in a trade, that could push Luukkonen down the depth chart and eventually toward another NHL team.
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Luukkonen would have potential value to teams in need of goaltending depth. If the Sabres could swing a trade that would maximize his worth, they might jump at the chance. I would be happy to see both Luukkonen and Levi carry the load, but I think I have a longer view than most Sabres fans, who are quite ready for postseason success now.
The Bottom Line
The Sabres’ offensive strength and salary-cap flexibility give the team a solid foundation for success. Perhaps GM Adams sees the need to address the goalie situation because of its youth. As well, another veteran defenseman might help fill in some of the space needed to flesh out the depth positions.
There might be some things for Sabres fans to watch out for. A key one would be how aggressively the team might seek a veteran goalie. The Sabres could shoot for the moon with Hellebuyck, or they could think a bit smaller. Might Luukkonen get traded, and if so, for whom?
(Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Whatever happens, the team will have an intriguing offseason as it gears up for regular-season success and a run for the playoffs. I know I am waiting to see how the Sabres make offseason moves. I anticipate the return of playoff hockey to Buffalo.