How much cap space do the Sabres have in the 2024 NHL offseason?

The Buffalo Sabres just won’t go away, no matter how bleak things look. Over the past two seasons, we have seen this team playing meaningful hockey in March and April. And while they still aren’t good enough to land in the top eight to snag a playoff appearance, Buffalo has nevertheless been a better hockey team following the 2021-22 season.

But, with the short step back this season, we also know that they aren’t good enough and that this organization must get more aggressive in making an addition that will interest fans and keep them interested. 

No, the Sabres don’t have the same amount of cap space that they had in the past, but there is enough to make that big signing. For the 2024 offseason, they are 13th in the league with a projected $22.293 million to spend, giving them plenty of money to work with. Yes, the Sabres must keep a few pending restricted and unrestricted free agents in town, but they will still nevertheless have enough to lure one more talent to the Queen City. 

Buffalo Sabres will enter make-or-break offseason with plenty of cap space

The Sabres need to add preferably a player to the puzzle who can excel in all three zones, and that player should take what has been an above-average team to the postseason in 2025. But, general manager Kevyn Adams needs to show more of a sense of urgency than he’s had over the past two offseasons, which saw nothing more than bland additions that did little to help the team. 

In 2022-23, those players were Eric Comrie and Ilya Lyubushkin, and neither made an impact during their respective stints with the Blue and Gold. Erik Johnson was in the same mold, leaving Connor Clifton as the most impactful, which isn’t saying a ton. 

You can argue that Tyson Jost and Eric Robinson made more of an impact as an in-season waiver-wire pickup and an under-the-radar trade addition, respectively than the four names mentioned above. Jost was good last season, while Robinson has been adequate this year. The most recent in-season acquisition, Bowen Byram, should be the best of the bunch. 

Either way, Adams must make a major splash in free agency with the cap space he has left over after the re-signing period.