Breaking down the Buffalo Sabres 2023 offseason moves (so far)
By Sion Fawkes
Like many NHL teams, most of the Buffalo Sabres offseason moves have been made. So let’s break down each major move over the past month.
Roughly four weeks ago, I released my Ultimate Offseason Guide for the Buffalo Sabres, breaking down potential moves, team needs, and more. Now with most of the offseason complete, how did each transaction help, or work in the Sabres favor?
First, let’s talk about one of the top priorities I listed in my Offseason Guide. Who would the Sabres re-sign?
We got that answer quickly, when Buffalo re-signed captain Kyle Okposo and alternate captain, Zemgus Girgensons, a pair of leaders at the current stage in their respective careers, and solid defensive forwards on the fourth line. They also brought back forward Tyson Jost, who showed grit when Buffalo landed him off of waivers last year.
Jost became a bit of a fan favorite in the Queen City, and his presence brings yet another defensive-oriented forward. In a worst-case scenario, Jost makes for a great extra skater this season, and he’s also more than capable of playing on the lower lines.
Breaking down the Buffalo Sabres offseason moves so far in 2023
Other notable re-signings included Brett Murray, Linus Weissbach, and Lukas Rousek. With Jack Quinn out with an Achilles injury, the door could open for the likes of Weissbach or Rousek, among other prospects.
Defensively, Kale Clague and Jeremy Davies re-signed, while Joseph Cecconi also stuck around. Along with re-signing goaltender Michael Houser, all of the aforementioned names will provide plenty of depth in Rochester and in Houser’s case, perhaps even with Buffalo’s new ECHL affiliate, the Jacksonville Icemen.
I also said the Sabres needed to extend some key players in their core. At the time of this writing, it hasn’t happened yet, with neither Rasmus Dahlin nor Owen Power having signed an extension at the time this post was released. However, the Buffalo Sabres went shopping in free agency and picked up much-needed help in the rotation.