The Buffalo Sabres had a fantastic run in 2025-26, and with the NHL free agency window about to open, there is some room for improvement and deals to be made. This is not a strong free-agent class, but it does have a fair share of UFA's that could make the Sabres better.
Here are three that jump off the page and should be considered by Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen. There will be a theme here, as Alex Tuch just signed with Washington, hence the need for a winger.
Vladimir Tarasenko
A journeyman since being traded from the St. Louis Blues to the New York Rangers in 2023, Vladimir Tarasenko has been everywhere. He has played for Ottawa, Detroit, Florida to help them win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, and most recently in Minnesota.
Last season saw him at his best since he was with the Blues, notching 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points with the Wild. For the right price, he can go just about anywhere, but with the Sabres being a playoff hopeful once again in 2026-27, he could be more useful with the charging bison on his crest.
He's a different style of player than Tuch but can still fill the top-six void created by his fellow winger's departure from Buffalo.
Viktor Arvidsson
This might come as the most expensive option on this list, but also the biggest potential for greatness. Victor Arvidsson is up for a new deal, and he went all-out in 2025-26 with the Boston Bruins.
He doubled his point total from 27 with Edmonton in 2024-25 to 54 last season with the rival Bruins, and will certainly earn quite the payday when free agency opens. Arvidsson has playoff experience and is a perfect fit for the Sabres on the left side of the second line. Noah Ostlund could slide back to centering that line, and Arvidsson goes over to the left, opposite previously re-signed Josh Doan.
Jonatan Berggren
This is the cheapest option, but it does not come without a great possibility of upside. Jonatan Berggren started the year with Detroit before being released and scooped up by St. Louis. He went to the Blues and was an instant match for their team, and the chemistry was quickly found.
Now, he hits the free-agency market with a pretty solid second-half of the season under his belt. He played 36 games with the Blues, scoring six goals and adding 10 assists to a really underwhelming offense. Berggren can be a cheap option, but a fulfilling one, as he is still a blossoming 25-year-old.
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