Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen won't be able to retain all nine of the team's impending free agents, a group led by prized UFA winger Alex Tuch, because of limited financial flexibility this summer.
While Tuch is the focus of attention leading up to July 1, RG's Marco D'Amico reported Sunday defenseman Michael Kesselring is "another interesting name to watch in Buffalo."
"As a pending restricted free agent, the big right-shot defenseman is likely to generate interest as Buffalo attempts to be aggressive in the trade market," D'Amico wrote.
Kesselring arrived to Western New York last summer alongside forward Josh Doan as part of the Sabres' blockbuster trade sending JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth.
Doan quickly emerged as a long-term building block for Buffalo, earning a seven-year, $48.65 million contract extension from the organization, but it was a starkly different story for the 26-year-old defender.
Kesselring battled injuries pretty much the entire season, including a high-ankle sprain that significantly hindered his skating ability, and he'd slid quite far down the Sabres' defensive depth chart by the time he moved closer to full strength late in the campaign.
The Northeastern University product finished his first year in Buffalo with zero goals and two assists across 34 appearances. He played just one postseason game during the club's run to the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs, which ended Sunday night with the Carolina Hurricanes crowned champions.
Yet, rival front offices will see an intriguing buy-low opportunity given the 6-foot-5 defenseman's prior promising development, which included scoring 29 points (seven goals and 22 assists) while playing all 82 games for Utah during the 2024-25 season.
Michael Kesselring may not fit the Buffalo Sabres' future vision for their third defensive pair
The Sabres' top-four defense group, which was the engine behind the club's successful turnaround season, will likely remain the same in 2026-27: Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Bowen Byram. The only exception would be if Byram signals he's not willing to sign a long-term extension, possibly making him a trade candidate.
More than likely, however, only the two spots on the third pair will be up for grabs.
Kekalainen signaled his preferred type of player to fill those roles when he acquired Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn, both impending UFAs, from the Winnipeg Jets ahead of the NHL trade deadline. They're both physical, defense-first players capable of playing on the penalty kill.
Meanwhile, Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff previously discussed how he felt Kesselring was trying to do too much while playing on the bottom pair this season.
"Play well defensively and make a good first pass. I think he's really trying to push the game in a sense where up ice where probably not the greatest time to be going," Ruff told reporters in February. "But just trying to make stuff happen instead of just let it happen."
The Sabres' first two pairs generate a lot of attacking pressure by constantly joining the rush. They clearly want players on the third pair who take less risk. Kesselring, who was originally pegged to join Power on the second pairing, was trying to prove himself by being more aggressive and it led him to fall out of favor with Ruff down the stretch.
It creates a conundrum for both sides entering the offseason.
Kesselring is going to want some assurances that consistent playing time will be available if he remains in Buffalo. He's one year away from unrestricted free agency and doesn't want his market value, which took a serious hit in 2025-26, to fall any further.
The Sabres' brass, led by Kekalainen and Ruff, seemingly aren't convinced the South Carolina native is the right fit for the roster, but the organization can't just give away somebody with his skill set. Doing so could come back to haunt the Blue and Gold over the long haul.
So, while Kesselring will indeed probably be heavily discussed on the trade market over the next few months, this isn't a situation where dumping him for a conditional seventh-round pick is the right asset management. The front office needs to get something of actual value in return.
If not, Buffalo is going to have little choice beyond keeping him for another year with hope he can stay healthy and secure a full-time role on a bottom pair. The blueliner rebuilding some value before getting dealt at the 2027 deadline may be the best outcome for both sides.
As of now, Kesselring, Conor Timmins, Zach Metsa and Ryan Johnson are among the internal contenders for a spot on the third pair. Top prospect Radim Mrtka, who's been mentioned as a trade candidate if the Sabres make a major splash for a top-line forward, likely needs a year in the AHL.
How the Sabres decide to handle that point of defensive uncertainty is one of the stories to watch as the offseason gets underway in earnest following the conclusion of the Cup Final.
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