The Buffalo Sabres have been busy over the past month or so of the offseason and have made five notable moves to this point. They would trade away four players from their roster this past season, but found some smart replacements while ensuring one of their young stars remains in Western New York for the foreseeable future.
Based on what Jarmo Kekalainen and the Sabres have done to this point in the offseason, these are the moves ranked from worst to best.
5. Alex Tuch sign-and-trade with Capitals
The Buffalo Sabres spent almost a year discussing a new contract with Alex Tuch, and the longer those negotiations dragged on, the chances of the two sides reaching an agreement on a new deal dwindled. The Sabres probably would have wanted Tuch back, but Jarmo Kekalainen was smart to pivot from trying to sign him to figuring out what value he could get for him.
They were able to do that in a sign-and-trade with the Washington Capitals and, in return, got a 2027 third-round pick. It doesn't help them right now, but it does give them some additional draft capital that they might use in a trade during the season.
4. Michael Kesselring trade to the Sharks
Michael Kesselring was set to be a restricted free agent this summer, and after a lackluster season in Buffalo, it felt like neither side wanted it to continue. It was smart for the Sabres to move on and get something done quickly.
The return for Kesselring didn't seem like much as the Sabres only moved up seven spots from 27th to 20th in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. However, it set them up to draft the center they wanted in Ilia Morozov and, at the same time, avoid any prolonged contract discussions.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Kesselring have a bounce-back season in San Jose to make this look like a lopsided trade. In the end, the Sabres probably took the best offer and got the player they wanted, so that would be a win for them.
3. Sabres trading for Olen Zellweger with the Ducks
Shortly before the NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres were able to work out a trade with the Anaheim Ducks for Olen Zellweger. It was a trade that wouldn't have been needed or possible without the best move this offseason.
The addition of Zellweger gave the Sabres their replacement for Bowen Byram, and they were able to extend the restricted free agent for three years with an AAV of $3 million. He is a younger player who may not be as good as Bowen Byram, but is an excellent replacement on that second pair with Owen Power.
For the Sabres to only have to trade away the second-round pick they acquired in the Bowen Byram trade and a prospect to add a player whose AAV is less than both Michael Kesselring and Bowen Byram is a big win. In terms of the best value, it might end up being this trade when looking back in a few seasons.
2. Signing Zach Benson to a seven-year deal
The first three moves were done more so out of necessity, and there is a clear divide between those moves and the next two as the best moves this offseason. After Zach Benson's performance in the playoffs, he was right there alongside Alex Tuch as the two priority free agent signings for the Sabres.
However, considering that Benson is only 21 years old and still has a lot of hockey ahead of him, there is a really good case to be made that he was more important. As a restricted free agent, the Sabres could elect to go with a short-term bridge contract of two or three years or try to lock in one of their top forwards long-term.
They ended up agreeing on a seven-year contract, and with an AAV of only $7.5 million, there is a chance that this will be one of the biggest bargains for the Sabres as early as this season. This past season, Benson had a career high in points with 43 after playing in only 65 games and was even better in the playoffs with five goals and four assists in 13 games.
Benson has to be the favorite at this point to be a part of the Sabres' top line next season. If he ends up earning that spot and remaining in that spot all season, he easily could make another jump in his production.
1. Bowen Byram trade with the Blackhawks
The best move the Buffalo Sabres made this offseason was partially made out of necessity, but they also got incredible value from the Chicago Blackhawks. In return, the Sabres got the fourth overall pick, a second-round pick (which they traded for Olen Zellweger), defenseman Louis Crevier, and about $10 million in cap space with Jordan Greenway joining Bowen Byram in going back to Chicago.
Initially, the trade was a surprise because the Sabres made it clear they wanted to keep Bowen Byram and extend him with a new contract. However, Byram didn't have an interest in committing long-term, and it forced the Sabres to explore trading him.
This was the crucial trade of the offseason because it really set them up for several of the other moves. Obviously, they used that pick to get Byram's replacement, but the extra cap space allowed them to extend Benson with the contract they did. After all those moves, they still have about $8 million in cap space that can be used on free agents or saved for the season if they find a trade where they need to take on more salary.
It was a busy offseason for Jarmo Kekalainen, and while he didn't add to the NHL roster yet with a big star, these moves have certainly set them up for a lot of flexibility over the coming weeks and months.
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