The 2025-26 season is only a few weeks away and the Buffalo Sabres roster is largely set. However, there are a few restricted free agents out there that could make a difference if general manager Kevyn Adams wanted to extend offer sheets.
There is no question that being able to sign restricted free agents away from the team that has their rights is tricky, and not something seen often in the NHL. It starts with the Sabres needing to offer a contract that the original team wouldn't want to match, and this means either a significant overpay or the original team can't match with the cap space they have.
If the original team doesn't match, then there is the question about draft pick compensation, which is based on the AAV of the offer sheet. One important note when it comes to that is the Sabres can only trade their own draft picks, not picks of other teams they have acquired in trades. The fact that they don't have their 2026 second-round pick complicates things just a little bit more.
In the coming weeks, these three players should have new contracts, and negotiations shouldn't last too much longer. The fact that time is running out could give the Sabres an advantage, and with just over $5 million in cap space, they could add one of these three players before the start of the season.
Mason McTavish
The top restricted free agent is center Mason McTavish, who was the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks. He has been a productive player for them the past three seasons, with 58 goals and 79 assists during that stretch.
Recently, there have been reports that the Ducks want to sign McTavish to a long-term deal and not necessarily a bridge contract. This is something the Sabres could use to their advantage in an offer sheet and actually offer a bridge-type contract of only three years.
The Ducks have enough cap space to really match any offer sheet based on AAV but it might make them think twice if the Sabres offer a shorter-term contract, which McTavish could be interested in as he gets to free agency sooner.
The Sabres have questions at center with no clear-cut option for the top line, but adding McTavish addresses that concern. Any line with McTavish and Tage Thompson would be a great starting point for that top forward line for Buffalo.
Alexander Holtz
The next player is Alexander Holtz, who was the seventh overall pick by the New Jersey Devils in the 2020 NHL Draft. He appeared in 110 NHL games for the Devils over three seasons before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights before last season.
Holtz's best season was in 2023-24, when he played in all 82 games and had 16 goals and 12 assists before taking a step backward with the Golden Knights, with only four goals and eight assists in 53 games. There is no question that the talent is there with Holtz, but he didn't really get consistent playing time in Vegas and had a career low shooting percentage of 5.8%.
For the Sabres, they really don't have to offer a big contract, as the Golden Knights don't really have much cap space at all to match. This is a player who might be worth the risk to see if they can get the player that was in New Jersey, and in turn help this offense.
Luke Evangelista
The last player is Luke Evangelista, who has been with the Nashville Predators. The right wing has appeared in 172 games and has 33 career goals and 53 career assists.
According to reports, Evangelista is dealing with a similar situation as McTavish in that the team wants a long-term contract while the player appears to be opting for a bridge deal. In the article by Chad Minton, he notes that the Predators might be willing to listen to trade offers, which could benefit Buffalo.
A trade with the Predators doesn't restrict them to the Offer Sheet Guidelines, and it might help them work out a trade that doesn't require as much compensation. The addition of Evangelista could give the Sabres a little more scoring on that fourth line and just overall depth for this group.