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Nathan Bastian, New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

3 Remaining Free Agent Targets for the Sabres

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jacob D. Strozyk | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 10:15 AM ET

The offseason progresses on, and the Buffalo Sabres have yet to make a meaningful free agent signing. As all of the top talent has been swept up by top teams, they are left with what remains after the first week to sort through and decide which players could be of value to their roster. Despite a good draft by them, none of those players will be ready to play in the fall, so they will need to find some additional talent to replace what they have lost via trade or otherwise. With only a handful of decent NHL talents left, and a few holes desperately needing to be filled, these would be the players that could be the best fit for them.

Jakub Vrana, LW

Since his breakout season in 2019-20, Jakub Vrana has struggled to find a true foothold in his game and the NHL. The one thing that he can definitely do is shoot the puck, but in the modern NHL, a one-dimensional player is not going to be as sought after as a more rounded one. The Sabres are not like most teams. They are in need of some players that can put the puck in the net to compensate for the loss of JJ Peterka, and they could use some scoring help for their power play. Vrana would be able to help on both of those fronts if given the right opportunity.

Since he has bounded around the NHL a bit, he has struggled to find his consistency. However, with a little more stability and a few decent linemates, he could be a real asset to the Sabres. He would make a fine addition to their second power-play unit, and he would have the opportunity (at least) to take a top-six role that is up for grabs on this team. He has all the right skills. Signing him would be a cheap, low-risk deal that could pay off some very nice dividends for them.

Nathan Bastian, RW

Size and skill are something the Sabres have been stressing all offseason, so if a player was typecast into being on this team by the end of the offseason, it would be Nathan Bastian. The 6-foot-4 winger has been a beacon of consistency since he became a full-time NHLer, and he would fit superbly on the Sabres’ third line. While he does not fill the top six scoring role that they need to fill, his presence and physicality on the ice would be a welcomed sight regardless.

The idea that the Sabres could have a very large third line featuring Bastian and Jordan Greenway is legitimately exciting. While their current playoff hopes are not looking good with the “run it back” mentality of their general manager, having a strong and physical third line with the potential to put pucks in the back of the net is exactly what they would need IF they found themselves in a playoff position next April. Bastian is coming off a contract that previously saw him paid $1.35 million per season, and he would easily be worth that, and even a little more, to get him to come to Buffalo.

Jack Roslovic, RW

Jack Roslovic is the only potential top-six player left available in the free agent pool, and even so, is more of a middle-six winger. On the Sabres, he could easily be considered a second-line player, and he possesses a solid two-way ability to complement his offensive talents. As a two-time 20-goal scorer, he knows how to put the puck in the net, and he has never needed a super-talented center to be his setup man. He is more than capable of driving and finishing a play himself, and that is the kind of player the Sabres could really use.

Roslovic is fresh off of a solid playoff run with the Carolina Hurricanes, and he has multiple other playoff appearances, so he knows exactly what it takes to get there, and what it takes to win once he is there. Playoff knowledge and experience are invaluable to a young and naive team like the Sabres, and adding Roslovic’s talent and perspective would do wonders for the on- and off-ice product. Getting him in a Sabres uniform might cost them upwards of $4 million (possibly even slightly higher), but they have the cap space to make it work.

Which Player Is the Best Choice?

All three players have merit to them, for sure. Vrana is the best natural scorer of the bunch, Bastian is the most physical, and Roslovic is the most well-rounded. Each of them fills some sort of hole that is present in the forward group, and truth be told, they could afford to bring all three of them in. Unfortunately, with how the roster is currently shaped, the likelihood of more than one of them being signed is not very high.

With that being said, the best choice of the three is going to be Roslovic. He fills the role that they need the most help with right now, and they cannot afford to bet on the likes of Jack Quinn hopefully living up to his potential after another down season, or Zach Benson suddenly making a huge jump into the top six. Having the flexibility and stability of a player that can eat second-line minutes and be a good veteran presence is something head coach Lindy Ruff sorely needs. Will adding him be enough to get them over the hump and into the playoffs? Not likely, but it would at least be a good swing attempt at something compared to the lackluster moves done to this point by general manager Kevyn Adams.