Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley entered free agency with sky-high expectations but his outlook is probably evolving as he remains without a contract with just over a month until teams open training camp ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.
It was borderline shocking when Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported in May that Stanley was "in position to cash in this summer with a contract that could be worth $25 million or more." It felt like an overly auspicious target, even with the league's rising salary cap.
So, based on that initial anticipation of his value, it's not much of a surprise the 28-year-old defender is still on the open market in early August.
Stanley didn't play horribly for the Sabres after arriving in a deadline trade with the Winnipeg Jets. In fact, his underlying numbers were actually quite strong, including a 54.8% expected goal share at 5-on-5 across 17 regular-season appearances, according to Natural Stat Trick.
That number dropped off considerably in eight playoff games (46.1%), however, and his offensive contributions with the Jets last season (nine goals in 59 appearances) didn't carry over to Buffalo at all (zero goals in 25 total outings, counting the postseason).
The 2016 first-round pick brought the size (6'7'') and physical presence Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen sought ahead of the club's playoff push, but his lack of foot speed wasn't a good match for the young squad's up-tempo style of play.
In general, Stanley's limited two-way impact — he'd never scored more than one goal in a season before last year's unexpected, and likely unrepeatable, breakthrough — and skating limitations make him best served to fill a third-pair role for a contender.
Yet, most front offices will be hesitant to give that type of depth player a significant commitment, both in terms of years and money, such as what the veteran blueliner seemingly expected to receive when the market opened on July 1.
It's created a stalemate, and the contract Stanley ultimately receives will probably come up well short of the $25 million mark.
Could Logan Stanley return to the Buffalo Sabres on a one-year, prove-it contract?
The answer to that question should be no, but it's impossible to totally rule it out.
As mentioned, Kekalainen eagerly sought out a player in the Stanley mold before the deadline because he felt the Sabres were frequently too easy to play against, which is essentially the code phrase for not hitting and fighting opponents enough.
Buffalo doesn't have a bona fide enforcer on the roster as it currently stands.
Players like Sam Carrick and Peyton Krebs have shown a willingness to fight at times, Beck Malenstyn dishes out a lot of hits but rarely drops the gloves and 6-foot-8 Louis Crevier could eventually grow into the role but there's nobody like Stanley, a battle-tested NHL fighter.
Often, players who end up staying in free agency this long opt to sign a short-term contract, typically a one-year deal, with hope of producing a strong season and testing the market again next summer.
That could definitely be the case for Stanley and, under those specific circumstances, it's not out of the realm of possibility Kekalainen decides to bring him back.
If that happens, it'll likely signal the Sabres are going to use an all left-shot top-four defense group again next season with Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Olen Zellweger.
Stanley, Crevier and Conor Timmins would then rotate on the third pair, with Timmins likely emerging as a potential trade candidate if Crevier proves worthy of a full-time role.
Zach Metsa and Dennis Gilbert, the current options for the No. 7 reserve role, would then open the year with the AHL's Rochester Americans, unless they're claimed off waivers by another organization after camp.
Ultimately, it's still a long shot because Stanley will want to join a team where he's guaranteed a spot in the lineup every game, and that wouldn't necessarily be the case when Buffalo is at full strength.
It's something to at least keep in mind as long as the defenseman remains a free agent, though.
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