Breaking down the Buffalo Sabres 2023 offseason moves (so far)
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.
Sabres aced free agency in 2023
In my Offseason Guide, I stated the Sabres either needed to add a blueliner via trade or free agency, preferably one that was over 30, and perhaps even one younger talent capable of playing top four minutes. Luckily, Buffalo got both on the first day with Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton.
Johnson was the over-30 piece I was looking for, and he won’t stay in the Queen City long, having signed on for just a one-year deal. Clifton is the younger, or in hockey years middle-aged, talent who will stick around a few seasons.
This is a perfect setup, as it will allow a high-end blueliner in Rochester, most likely Ryan Johnson or Nikita Novikov, to move up the ranks as soon as 2024-25 if they prove they’re NHL-ready. If not, and if Erik Johnson is willing, then he can sign for another season.
Buffalo also added a pair of goaltenders for Rochester in Dustin Tokarski and Devin Cooley, along with forward Justin Richards. However, the Sabres have yet to bring in another forward, though there are some available at the time of this writing should they choose to upgrade the roster with a veteran following Quinn’s injury.
I also mentioned the Buffalo Sabres should at least look into bringing in a veteran goaltender, even if I’m more than cool with Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen teaming up this year. If the price to bring in a veteran was too high, or if Adams was okay with Levi and Luukkonen, then it wasn’t a huge deal if they neglected to make such a move.
The Sabres draft could not have gone better
I wanted to see the Buffalo Sabres snag the best player on the board early, regardless of their position, and I can say with confidence that they accomplished it. And when a skilled prospect who also happens to be teammates with your previous year’s first round pick is available, you take them, which is exactly what Adams did with Zach Benson.
I also wanted to see Adams go with need in the later rounds, and it occurred, starting in Round 2 with a potential power forward in Anton Wahlberg. Adams used many of his remaining picks on defensemen, and he even picked up an intriguing prospect at goaltender in Scott Ratzlaff.
The only real question now is: How many of these kids will make it to the NHL, given the talent on the Buffalo Sabres roster and in Rochester? We will see this play out in time, but if there is one certainty, it’s that Adams added even more stock to the prospects pool.
Trades worth anticipating for offseason’s second half and 2023-24 outlook
First off, we all thought a Victor Olofsson trade was coming, but that hasn’t materialized. Not that this won’t occur, but it’s possible that Quinn’s injury could have granted Olofsson a reprieve at least until the 2024 trade deadline.
Once again, it depends on what Adams wants to do and if he signs another forward, or if he calls someone up from Rochester. But as it stands, Olofsson could very well find himself in the Buffalo Sabres lineup on October 12th when the Sabres face the New York Rangers.
Since Buffalo signed Johnson and Clifton, it also means Adams could also send Henri Jokiharju and Jacob Bryson out of Buffalo. As with the Olofsson saga, it’s also worth keeping tabs on the Sabres lowest-tiered blueliners.
So with all the activity going on in the offseason not just regarding the Sabres, but also their Atlantic Division rivals, what does this mean for the Blue and Gold? The minimalistic approach that we know Adams for was the best route he could have taken here, and I gave the Sabres the top ranking among Atlantic teams for the offseason thus far.
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But, further breakdown will be needed to truly determine where Buffalo stands in the Atlantic and in the Eastern Conference. And that’s something we will be discussing in the coming weeks.
(Contract information provided by Cap-Friendly and offseason transaction list provided by CBS Sports)