The dog days of summer have arrived, and the NHL season is just around the corner. Like the rest of the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres have done a lot of work to solidify their roster for the upcoming season. General manager Kevyn Adams made some difficult decisions, including dealing JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth and agreeing to a new contract with defenseman Bowen Byram.
The additions will increase depth within the group to take a run at the Stanley Cup playoffs. However, Adams and his staff have work to be done before next summer.
The Sabres currently have $5,190,319 in available salary-cap space, per PuckPedia. The deal of star forward Peterka was not surprising to the league, but the return was not well-received by many experts. Peterka, being a restricted free agent, commanded a five-year extension with Utah worth $38.5 miilion, a salary cap hit of $7.7 million per season.
Although that money was saved to bring in some depth pieces, such as goaltender Alex Lyon or defender Conor Timmins, while retaining Byram, it is only a temporary fix for the near future.
Next summer, core piece Alex Tuch will headline some important players with expiring contracts. Unlike Tuch, the other key players that will need new contracts are restricted free agents and remain under team control into the summer. Tuch will hit the market next July if an agreement cannot be reached during the season.
Tuch is an important piece to this franchise after being the main return in the Jack Eichel trade to Las Vegas. The 29-year-old Syracuse native has taken on a leadership role in Buffalo while exceeding expectations with his production. Last season, he tied a career high in goals with 36 and finished with 31 helpers.
Likely to reach Peterka-like contract numbers, it would behoove the Sabres to try and lock him up before the NHL trade deadline. If Buffalo is not contending for a playoff spot, Tuch will be the talk of the deadline rumors.
Recently acquired Josh Doan and MIchael Kesselring are playing in their final seasons under current contract terms and will become restricted free agents. Kesselring will likely command most of the two players as he currently makes $1.4 million a season and has turned into one of the more versatile, right-handed defensemen in the league. Last season, the 25-year-old came out of his shell and posted career highs in every category with seven goals and 29 points.
Doan and Kesselring won the gold this spring in the Hockey World Championships for Team USA. Doan is a former second-round draft choice of the Arizona Coyotes. Last season, Doan played a chunk of time in the AHL, but came up later in the season with Utah to play in 51 games for a total of 62 career NHL games.
Like his father, former NHL All-Star Shane, Josh plays a responsible, checking game, and he has not begun to scratch the surface of his offensive ceiling. A top-line player in college at Arizona State, Doan could be the steal of the Peterka trade. Unless Doan has a blowout season, he should command a salary under $2 million.
Another key youngster expected to play a larger role this season in his final year of his entry-level contract is Zach Benson. Like the others, Benson will be a restricted free agent and currently is making $950,000. The small winger could see top-line minutes this season after registering 21 goals at just the age of 20.
The former 13th overall draft choice in 2023 will have a lot to say about the terms of his next contract from his production level this upcoming season. Players like Benson will determine the difference between this Buffalo team playing in late April or not.
The NHL is expected to have an increase in the salary cap ceiling moving forward, which will help Adams sculpt this roster, but this summer was just the beginning of many crucial summers ahead for this franchise.