The Buffalo Sabres haven't announced their training camp schedule yet, but they typically hit the ice for the first time in mid-September. That leaves just over a month for general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff to answer the offseason's remaining questions.
It's been a relatively muted summer for the Sabres. Their blockbuster move was trading JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring. Other new arrivals included Justin Danforth, Conor Timmins and Alex Lyon.
Let's analyze the biggest questions left to answer before preparations begin for the 2025-26 season.
Will Adams make any more NHL-level moves?
Although the short answer is probably not, the idea can't be ruled out completely.
Defenseman Bowen Byram remains a trade candidate despite his recent two-year contract extension, but Buffalo's lack of defensive depth would add an extra layer of risk to moving him. In terms of needs, the Sabres could use a top-six forward, but those typically don't come cheap.
Adams has been linked to the Pittsburgh Penguins wing tandem of Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. There's been no suggestion any type of trade is imminent, though. It's a move that could become more attractive at the deadline if the Sabres are still in playoff contention.
For now, it feels like Buffalo will enter camp with its current group of players. It's fair to ask whether the roster changes were enough for a team that missed the playoffs by 12 points this season, but the organization continues to bet heavily on internal improvement.
A lot of Sabres fans are probably going to take a wait-and-see approach to see whether to become emotionally and financially invested in this season as a result.
Where will Ruff slot Tage Thompson in the initial lines?
Ruff preferred to use Thompson on the wing last season. It helped mask some of his defensive deficiencies and he still scored at an elite rate (44 goals), so it's hard to argue with the results.
That said, the Sabres' lines are a lot easier to build with Tage at center. He can lead the top line followed by Josh Norris on the second, Ryan McLeod on the third and Peyton Krebs on the fourth. That's a strong spine up the middle if everyone stays healthy.
Building the lineup around those centermen also creates a spot for Alex Tuch on the top line and takes some pressure off Jiri Kulich as he seeks a breakout second season. Everything just pieces together a little nicer with No. 72 at center.
So, it'll be interesting to see if Ruff discusses his lineup thoughts at all before the Sabres take the ice. If he ultimately decides to keep Thompson on the wing, the team is going to need a monster season from either Kulich or Norris to find consistent success offensively.
Are any extensions coming before camp?
Buffalo has eight players on its projected 23-man roster who can become free agents after the 2025-26 season. Three potential UFAs (Tuch, Beck Malenstyn and Jacob Bryson) along with five RFAs (Doan, Kesselring, Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs and Zac Jones).
Adams should be doing everything in his power to get some of those players re-signed early, preferably before the team's Opening Night clash with the New York Rangers on Oct. 9. It's a group that includes Tuch, Benson, Doan and Kesselring.
Tuch has become an essential core piece for the Sabres since arriving in the Jack Eichel trade. He's scored 243 points (106 goals and 137 assists) in 281 games for the franchise, and he has local connections after growing up just a few hours away in Syracuse, New York.
Meanwhile, the trio of Benson, Doan and Kesselring are some of Buffalo's highest-upside young players. It's better to bet on their continued development now rather than waiting until next offseason when there's a reasonable chance their asking price skyrockets.
The Sabres have become more hesitant with long-term contracts after the failures by Dylan Cozens and Mattias Samuelsson to live up to their lucrative deals. It's time to get aggressive again, at minimum in the case of Benson, who's trending toward two-way NHL stardom.