The Buffalo Sabres, as well as the rest of the National Hockey League, are officially in the long summer months of the hockey year. The NHL Draft is done, and free agency is at a halt with a small number of impact players out there to try and grab.
But there are still names on that free-agency board that can be great additions for the Sabres as they try to gear up for a back-to-back playoff appearance in 2026-27. Let's talk about it.
Patrick Kane
Bring the Buffalo boy back home. This almost feels inevitable, and there is no better time to go out and grab Patrick Kane before he calls it a career.
Kane can't put up the numbers as he did in his prime, but he is still one of the best available wingers out there on the market. When talking about hometown discounts, that usually means a player will take a lesser deal when re-signing with their current team, but the Sabres might get lucky enough for Kane to want to finish his career in his hometown.
With the movement of Alex Tuch to Washington, the depth for wingers is in question at the moment. Kane can be a nice piece to add to round out the opening night roster. Namely on that third line, as Noah Ostlund could slide over to center to bring in "Showtime" on the right side, with Josh Doan moving to the left side.
Anthony Mantha
Another solid possible addition that is still without a deal is Anthony Mantha. He is potentially the best get in terms of skill and years remaining to play, as he still has a good chunk of his prime left at just 31 years old.
Mantha had a solid 33-goal performance last season, but a disappearance in the playoffs has kept him without a deal. Moving to Buffalo could be a nice move for all parties involved, as the Sabres need all the help they can get to get to the postseason, and then they can try and figure it out from there.
It is also worth noting that Mantha is going to be the most expensive contract on this list.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Since being traded to the New York Rangers from the St. Louis Blues, Vladimir Tarasenko has been a frequent flyer on the free-agent list. He has been signed by Detroit, Minnesota, Ottawa, and Florida in recent years, with the Wild being his latest stop.
He had a nice 2025-26 campaign with 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points. Tarasenko has won two Stanley Cups in his career thus far, and as the cheapest option on this list, there is definitely a case to bring him to Buffalo as a nice depth piece.
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