The Sabres made one spectacular move in 2024 that needs to repeat itself in 2025. If they can find one more Ryan McLeod, that would be spectacular. While another McLeod-like player would work wonders, the Blue and Gold shouldn’t be finished there, because if this team isn’t going to land a Tier I superstar, they must compensate with solid skaters all over the ice.
Another McLeod acquisition would work well in the trading arena, but let’s shift gears and instead talk more about free agency. Last summer, general manager Kevyn Adams struck gold when he brought in the supposedly finished Jason Zucker, who went on to prove he could still play at a high level.
Zucker notched 21 goals and 53 points through his first season in Buffalo, and he played a major role in this team’s offensive resurgence that was reminiscent of 2022-23. While the team’s power play wasn’t up to scratch, Zucker’s presence made it worthwhile with 11 goals on the man advantage.
Kevyn Adams must search far and wide for another Jason Zucker
Zucker signed with the Sabres 10 months ago, and in July 2024, I panned the move. He finished the 2023-24 season with just 32 points and 14 goals in 69 games. And since it was his age-32 campaign, I was more than apprehensive about bringing an aging winger to such a young team.
Still, Zucker’s performance showed me that high-octane play can last regardless of age, further indicating one’s birth year might just be a number after all. And it should signal to Adams that bringing in one more Zucker-like talent shouldn’t be off the table this summer.
Give the Sabres one more solid scorer and playmaker to go along with Zucker, and they’ll be hard for anyone to stop.
While I would’ve liked to have seen Zucker’s more aggressive side, finishing fifth in points on a team that ended the season 10th in goals scored alone shows his value. But, with the Sabres missing the playoffs for the 14th straight season, it might be hard to sell the franchise to a seasoned veteran looking for another chance at the postseason.
How can Kevyn Adams ‘sell’ the Sabres to a free agent?
As far as American markets go, Buffalo may be the toughest city to sell, especially when the team isn’t playing good hockey. It’s a cold-weather, small-market city with short summers and long winters. Yeah, it has great culture, but so does any city if you care to look hard enough.
That said, Adams needs to assure a seasoned veteran that this team’s about to turn a corner and that they’re a few missing links away. Another Ryan McLeod, another Jason Zucker, and another defenseman away from presenting a serious challenge for a playoff spot for the first time in forever.
So, I’d sell the fact that the team could evolve into a top-five scoring unit with one more winger, if not a top-three. I’d also talk about how I’d be seeking a high-energy player who plays in all three zones well, much like what McLeod gave the Sabres.
And I’d sell them on one of the better and most underrated scorers in the game, Tage Thompson. They know what Tage can do, but to play alongside him means an uptick in production for everyone involved.