Everyone is waiting to see how Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will put his stamp on the roster after taking over the front office from Kevyn Adams in December.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet isn't so sure a blockbuster deal is coming for the Sabres ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline on March 6, though. He discussed Buffalo's situation Friday on his 32 Thoughts podcast with Kyle Bukauskas.
"What is the worst thing that he can do? Start to tinker," Friedman said. "You know, Kekalainen went in there and he warned those guys if it doesn't get better there's gonna be big changes. Well, it's a lot better. So why would he go in there and throw a stink bomb into his room?"
The Sabres have posted a 17-3-1 record over their past 21 games. They sit atop the Eastern Conference wild-card race and they're suddenly just six points behind the Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings, who are tied for first in the East with 67 points.
Friedman explained Buffalo has financial hurdles to jump before next season, in large part because the Jeff Skinner buyout will count $6.4 million against the salary cap in 2026-27, and noted the fact Alex Tuch remains unsigned as a potential unrestricted free agent further complicates the matter.
The NHL insider explained the Sabres may re-sign Tuch in the near future and then "punt" decisions on Zach Benson and Michael Kesselring, the team's top two remaining restricted free agents, until the summer and make difficult calls on who must be moved to create cap space over the offseason.
"Do not fool around with this," Friedman said. "Let the players have their run. Let the fans have their run. As I was once told, don't bleep with happy."
Alex Tuch situation is going to cause some sleepless nights for Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen
The Tuch dilemma continues to drag on because there's no ideal solution.
Buffalo doesn't want to see one of its cornerstones leave the franchise, but paying the 29-year-old winger his desired salary of around $10.5 million until his late 30s likely won't age well. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic only estimates Tuch's current value at $7.1 million and projects it'll dip to around $5 million during the duration of an eight-year extension.
If the Sabres decide not too meet those high demands, they could trade him to the highest bidder before the deadline, which should yield a few valuable assets. They'd risk causing a disruption to the club's recent outstanding form by removing one of its best two-way contributions, though. Tuch plays in every situation, including a critical role on the Blue and Gold's sixth-ranked penalty kill.
The other option is keeping the Syracuse native, who grew up rooting for the Sabres, until season's end and let the chips fall where they may. Of course, if he enters the free-agent market and signs elsewhere, Buffalo will have let a high-end player leave without getting single thing in return. That's the type of problematic asset management that can really harm a roster over time.
So, Kekalainen is choosing between a trio of far-from-perfect solutions.
Perhaps the Sabres GM provided a hint about his thinking Thursday when he told reporters he wouldn't "sacrifice the ultimate goal," which is winning a Stanley Cup, for the "sake of making the playoffs and then not having any sustainability."
Within this context, it feels like keeping Tuch to make a singular push for the postseason with no guarantee beyond this season would put some of that sustainability at risk. Yet, Kekalainen also stated getting the 6-foot-4 power forward re-signed remains a priority.
"I've said right from the start that it is, and we'll get some answers when we get them, hopefully in the near future," he said.
For now, Friedman is probably right. The Sabres shouldn't mess with something that has been working so well for six weeks. They're riding an unexpected wave of success toward the top of the standings and they should stay on the surfboard as long as possible.
How they handle the Tuch situation will have a lasting impact on the franchise, however, so there's ample pressure on Kekalainen to make the right call.