The Buffalo Sabres owned last place in the Eastern Conference in early December. The fact they fought all the way back to capture the Atlantic Division title before advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs makes the season a smashing success.
That said, now that the standard has finally been raised after more than a decade in hockey hell, the Sabres front office, led by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, must find a way to upgrade a promising roster to make it a perennial championship contender.
Buffalo's series loss to the Montreal Canadiens, who won Game 7 in overtime on Monday night, exposed some real weaknesses amid an otherwise strong foundation. This can't be a situation where the Blue and Gold simply try to "run it back" with no serious improvements.
The task for Kekalainen and Co. begins with acknowledging several key points about the team before entering a crucial offseason.
The Sabres must let Alex Tuch hit free agency
Tuch is the main reason Buffalo lost its second-round series. The impending unrestricted free agent, whose reported asking price is around $10.5 million annually on a long-term contract, failed to record a single point while compiling a minus-eight rating across the seven games.
His no-show performance against the Canadiens may save the Sabres from making a massive mistake, though.
It never made sense for Buffalo, which is projected to have just $12.9 million in salary-cap space this summer (via PuckPedia), to meet the 30-year-old winger's massive asking price. It's simply a contract that has little chance to age well into his mid- and upper-30s.
That money would be much better spent locking up 21-year-old Zach Benson, the club's best player throughout its playoff run, to a sizable extension. Financial flexibility will also be needed in the coming years to retain Bowen Byram, Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius and Jiri Kulich (if healthy).
Make no mistake, Tuch is a good player. He's capable of providing value in all three phases and, while he was a complete non-factor against Montreal, he did play well in the opening round against the Boston Bruins. He's also a Syracuse native who grew up rooting for the Sabres.
He's not an elite, game-changing force who'd be irreplaceable, though. Both Benson and Josh Doan are two-way workhorses more than capable of growing into the role Tuch filled for the past five seasons since arriving from the Vegas Golden Knights in the Jack Eichel trade.
So, it's time to allow the 6-foot-4 power forward to test the free-agent waters. Perhaps his market won't be as strong as anticipated and he'll return to Buffalo on a more reasonable contract. Otherwise, the club should wish him the best elsewhere and focus on keeping its young guns instead.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is not a No. 1 NHL goalie
Luukkonen kept the Sabres alive with a few key saves in Game 7 against the Habs, which allowed the Blue and Gold to overcome a 2-0 deficit to force overtime.
Fair credit aside, the 27-year-old Finland native has a propensity to endure disastrous starts — Game 2 against the Bruins and Game 5 against the Canadiens being recent examples — and allowing unforgivable goals has unfortunately become part of his story across six years with the franchise.
The most heartbreaking example came Monday night on Alex Newhook's overtime winner for Montreal. It was an unacceptable goal to allow regardless of the circumstances, but particularly in Game 7 of a series with an Eastern Conference Final berth on the line. That shot can't go in. Period.
UPL has enjoyed a few strong stretches that created hope he could fill that No. 1 spot on Buffalo's goalie depth chart for the long haul. He's never been able to maintain them, though.
Now, with a 190-game sample to draw conclusions, it's fair to say he's not a dependable, full-time starter at the NHL level. And his first foray into playoff hockey left serious questions about whether he's capable of handling the extreme mental pressure that arrives in the postseason.
As a result, Luukkonen should be a trade candidate this summer. Moving his $4.75 million cap hit would create some much-needed financial wiggle room, and the Sabres could create a goaltending competition between Alex Lyon, Colten Ellis and Devon Levi in training camp. (Dipping into the trade or free-agent markets for a fresh face is always an option, of course.)
It's no guarantee anybody from that trio is the long-term crease solution for Buffalo, but it's clear UPL isn't that answer, either.
Peyton Krebs isn't a first-line (or top-six) forward
Moving Krebs, a fourth-line player, into the top-six group has been the Sabres' default solution whenever forward injuries arose in recent years.
The 2019 first-round pick did show some modest signs of progress this season, tallying 39 points (12 goals and 27 assists) while playing all 82 regular-season games, and he earned enough trust from head coach Lindy Ruff to remain on the first line in the playoffs.
Alas, the top line of Krebs, Tuch and Tage Thompson completely collapsed against Montreal.
Yes, Tuch and Thompson were a major part of the problem, but Krebs' lack of offensive awareness and limited playmaking skills were fully exposed against a fast, skillful Habs group. He simply doesn't have the scoring upside to reside in a key attacking role.
Like Tuch, the 25-year-old Canadian went scoreless in the Montreal series and posted a minus-five rating. He was invisible most nights throughout the seven-game battle.
Krebs is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and there's nothing wrong with bringing him back on a short-term, modestly priced contract. He's perfectly fine as a fourth-line energy guy who can fill a void on the third line in a pinch.
The idea he can join a scoring line on a true contender should finally be put out to pasture, though.
It's time for a change to Buffalo's coaching staff
Ruff, whose contract runs out after this season, will likely be back behind the Sabres bench in 2026-27.
John Wawrow of the Associated Press reported "all signs point" to a Ruff extension, assuming the 66-year-old Buffalo legend opts to continue coaching, and Chad DeDominicis of Expected Buffalo added a new deal could be announced in the "near future" amid mutual interest.
Ruff should make at least one change to his group of assistants, however. It's time for the Sabres to move on from Seth Appert, who served as head coach of the Rochester Americans, the club's AHL affiliate, before joining the NHL staff in 2024.
Appert was viewed as the heir apparent to Ruff while Kevyn Adams was in charge of the front office, but it's unclear whether Kekalainen views the situation the same way.
Ideally not. Appert had two seasons to prove himself while in charge of the Sabres' power play. He failed. Miserably.
Buffalo finished 24th with the man advantage in 2024-25 (18.8%) and improved ever so slowly this season (19.5%), ranking 20th in the NHL.
It goes beyond the numbers, too.
Watching the Habs' power play operate with such precision — they routinely gained the zone with ease and created countless high-danger chances against a strong Sabres penalty kill — compared to the slop the Sabres produced over the past two years was wild. Telling someone who doesn't watch hockey those two units were trying to accomplish the same task would surely illicit a strange look.
Assuming Ruff returns, it wouldn't have to become a complete staff overhaul. Marty Wilford did a nice job leading the PK, while Mike Bales has done well as the team's goaltending coach. Matt Ellis has strong organizational ties and could remain in place, too.
The Sabres' power play desperately needs a new vision, though. Letting Appert go and bringing in a new assistant who specializes in that area would help raise the club's upside next season.
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