What the Buffalo Sabres will do with their restricted free agents
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres have five restricted free agents for 2023. And there are a few who deserve a qualifying offer before the deadline.
The Buffalo Sabres already did themselves a favor when they re-signed Lukas Rousek on a two-way contract for the upcoming season that turns into a one-way deal for 2024-25. But there are still a few restricted free agents the Blue and Gold need to consider bringing back to the organization.
So which of the five names needs to be prioritized before the deadline? Keep reading to see who the Sabres should keep, and who they shouldn’t mind letting walk.
What should the Buffalo Sabres do with their remaining free agents?
1 – Tyson Jost, F
Tyson Jost is easily a keeper, and there is a chance the Sabres extend a qualifying offer before you even read this. He fit in immediately with the Blue and Gold, and while his consistency stagnated down the stretch, he is, in a worst-case scenario, a solid extra skater.
The only mystery left to solve regarding Jost is the type of contract he would end up signing. It could be a one-year prove-it deal, or if the Sabres believe he’s better than just merely acting as a potential stopgap, they could bring him on for multiple seasons.
2 – Kale Clague, D
In 2022-23, Kale Clague played far more hockey at the NHL level than he should have, but numerous times, he outplayed Jacob Bryson. The Sabres should bring him back, but Clague should instead lead a young crew of defensemen in Rochester as opposed to spending most of his time on the Blue and Gold’s roster.
If general manager Kevyn Adams ends up trading for a top four defenseman, then there is little chance for Clague to wind back up in the Buffalo Sabres lineup. Still though, he holds immense value in the AHL.