Offseason Checklist: Buffalo Sabres

Furthermore, his agent, Darren Ferris, generally advises his clients to pursue free agency. Inevitably, even if Buffalo manages to sign him to a long-term extension, the negotiations won’t be easy, nor favorable. Instead of turning into a Tuch situation, where Byram would leave for nothing, it may be prudent to move him this summer and take advantage of a fluid trade market.

There shouldn’t be any shortage of suitors, either. Unlike most of the prominent names on the trade block this summer, Byram doesn’t have any trade protection in his contract, giving the Sabres the pick of the litter. He’s been a rock-solid defenseman for Buffalo, scoring 18 goals and 80 points in 164 games over the past two years while averaging 22:31 of ice time per game. He would immediately fill any team’s need for a top-four defenseman.

Still, it’s important to note that other teams are aware of his situation. As much value as he has, it’s hard to imagine a team paying a hefty price for Byram if he’s going to leave next summer, anyway. For the best return, Buffalo should allow Byram and his representation to negotiate an extension with the acquiring team. If he’s unwilling to and wants to consider his options in free agency, that would make the situation much more complicated from Buffalo’s perspective.

Trade A Goalie (Or Two)

Although the Sabres could go in either direction for Byram, they’ll most certainly need to trade a netminder this offseason. Given the performances of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon this season, Colten Ellis is objectively the odd man out in Buffalo. Ellis was solid in a third-string role, managing an 8-4-2 record in 16 games with a .903 SV% and 2.90 GAA.

The decision to move him stems from Kekalainen’s roster construction ideas, not his performance. One of the first things Kekalainen said at his introductory press conference was that he didn’t want Buffalo to carry three goaltenders on the roster long-term. Because of some mild injury concerns, the Sabres didn’t need to make that call toward the end of the 2025-26 campaign, but they’ll now have all summer to do so. If he’s adamant on carrying only two goaltenders, they’ll either have to trade Ellis this offseason or risk losing him on the waiver wire in October.

Additionally, the Sabres will likely need to trade Devon Levi during the offseason as well. In mid-May, Jeff Marek of the Daily Faceoff shared that the relationship between Levi and the Sabres organization is “over” and that Buffalo will explore moving him this offseason.

A standout goalie at the NCAA level, Levi has shown flashes of dominance with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, managing a 64-39-22 record in 120 games with a .914 SV% and 2.52 GAA over the past four years. There’s little argument that Levi has earned a starter role in the NHL, but he has earned the opportunity to play in a backup role, or even a 1B role, at the very least.

Improve Faceoff Percentage

It’s not high on the priority list, but the Sabres could really use a center that can consistently win faceoffs. Buffalo finished as the worst Eastern Conference team in the faceoff dot last season, averaging a 46.73% success rate on draws.

On the free agent market, depending on his asking price, the Sabres could target Scott Laughton. Between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings, Laughton won 57.7% of faceoffs. Still, that’s the highest mark he’s ever averaged over an entire regular season, and he only averaged 49.7% throughout his time with the Philadelphia Flyers.

However, Buffalo could take advantage of a cap-strapped Colorado Avalanche. There’s a growing concern out of Denver that Jack Drury, despite being a restricted free agent, could have priced himself out of the Avalanche’s long-term plans. Unlike Laughton, Drury has been an efficient faceoff taker throughout his entire career, averaging a 57.1% success rate over 2,500 draws.