Peruse fan-made Buffalo Sabres trade offers from the past few years and no name will probably pop up more than winger Jack Quinn, who's become a polarizing piece of the team's roster puzzle.
Supporters will argue Quinn is only 24 years old, owns a high draft pedigree (No. 8 overall pick in 2020), just posted a career-high 51 points (20 goals and 31 assists) in 2025-26 and remains under team control through restricted free agency through 2029.
Detractors would point out he's a notoriously streaky scorer — he went six straight games without a point during the club's recent run in the 2026 NHL Playoffs — and has consistently posted poor defensive results throughout five seasons in Buffalo.
It does lead to an intriguing question: What would happen if Quinn puts together another 50-point campaign and then becomes the target of an offer sheet from a rival front office next summer? Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report discussed that topic on Tuesday.
"The wild card in this is if the Sabres make another blockbuster move over the next year to add another big salary-cap hit onto their roster. Like, say, if they were to acquire a franchise goalie like Connor Hellebuyck," Gretz wrote. "That could change some of the salary-cap math, and could leave Quinn as a vulnerable player."
The NHL analyst added: "He set a career high with 20 goals this past season and might still have an even bigger breakout ahead for him."
It's just not the financial aspect, either. The Sabres are already dealing with an overabundance of forwards (15 players for 13 spots as the roster currently stands), and prospects like Brodie Ziemer, Prokhor Poltapov and Jake Richard will be aiming to earn NHL opportunities within the next year or two. Ilia Morozov, a 2026 first-round selection, probably won't be too far behind.
Add in the fact Tage Thompson, Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn are all locked into long-term deals, and there's a lot of internal competition on the horizon. (Josh Norris is also signed through 2030, though he may be another trade candidate.)
So, trading Quinn before he becomes a potential offer-sheet headache may make sense, but it feels like a 24-year-old player who just hit 50 points deserves a little more respect.
Looking at the Buffalo Sabres' other 2027 restricted free agents
Although Quinn is the most accomplished Sabres player with RFA rights next offseason, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has some other players to make a decision on. It's a group that includes forwards Jiri Kulich and Noah Ostlund as well as newly acquired defenseman Louis Crevier.
Kulich is the ultimate wild card heading toward the 2026-27 campaign. He's flashed moments of offensive brilliance across his first 75 NHL games, but there's still a lot of untapped potential and he missed a vast majority of last season because of a blood clot.
While the 22-year-old center expressed confidence he'll resume his career in the fall, uncertainty will linger until he resumes competitive play.
Ostlund was one of the unsung heroes from the Sabres' long-awaited turnaround season. His baseline numbers won't jump off the page (27 points in 60 games), but the team was always more effective when he was on the ice thanks to his hockey IQ and defensive prowess.
He may never become a point-per-game scorer, but he should be a middle-six fixture for a long time.
Crevier, who arrived to Buffalo as part of the Bowen Byram trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, is hard to miss thanks to a 6-foot-8, 228-pound frame. He moves around the ice well despite his size, and could be a hidden gem for the Blue and Gold.
He's two years away from hitting UFA status, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see Kekalainen pursue a lengthier contract extension if the 25-year-old Canadian has a strong start to his Sabres tenure.
It's unlikely any of those three players would receive a significant offer sheet — Ostlund could be the exception if he puts together a breakthrough offensive season — but it further illustrates the tricky decisions on the horizon for the organization's front office.
Not everybody can stay, but figuring out who should go won't be a simple task for Kekalainen and Co.
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