One dream, one realistic, and one bargain player for the Sabres to target in NHL Free Agency

While signing Sam Reinhart in July would make a sensational story for the Sabres, it’s not the likeliest scenario to occur. So, let’s instead talk about a few sequences that would be more realistic for general manager Kevyn Adams to implement when NHL free agency arrives. 

The players listed below don’t have Reinhart’s caliber, but you can make the case that they would all make the Blue and Gold better if they came to Western New York. And yes, even the “bargain” player listed who won’t break the bank would also fare well in a Sabres uniform come October if Adams lures them to the organization. 

Now, I’ve covered numerous potential free agents already, so the one “dream name” may not be as glamorous as you may think. That said, he’s also coming off of a solid regular season with his current team, and one he could parlay into something more, regardless of where he plays. 

Dream Free Agent: Warren Foegele, Edmonton Oilers

Warren Foegele may not have a place on the top-six in Buffalo, and we know that’s what Kevyn Adams may likely target in free agency. But Foegele wouldn’t be a bad signing following what has been an epic season in Edmonton, or at least that’s the case by Warren Foegele standards. 

Through Game 1 of the 2023-24 season and playoffs, Foegele has been solid, playing in 98 games and posting 44 points and 21 goals. While he hasn’t been a half-point-per-game player in the playoffs that he was during the regular season, with just three points and one goal in his first 16 contests, Foegele is averaging two hits per game, and he has an eye-popping 12 takeaways. 

Both attributes would make Foegele a dream free agent for the Blue and Gold. We know the Sabres forwards have struggled defensively, and Foegele would immediately upgrade the Sabres when they don’t have the puck while still providing a supplement to what can still be a high-scoring unit even if they don’t add anyone of worth on the outside other than a defense-first forward. 

If you want more fun, look no further than Foegele’s Corsi For numbers at even strength, which sat at 56.4 percent despite just 51.6 percent of his starts in the offensive zone in the regular season. Further, that number has stayed rather consistent in the playoffs, with a 52.3 percent Corsi For despite an offensive zone starting percentage of 48.4. 

Realistic Free Agent: Max Domi, Toronto Maple Leafs

Max Domi has been a one-year rental lately with an AAV of $3 million over his previous two contracts, and that could be the same this season if he ends up in a new city. Currently, Domi is keeping all options open, including potentially playing at least another season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. But if talks break down and he’s available on July 1st, he would help the Sabres in so many ways. 

For one, he’s a top-six-caliber player, and while that wasn’t always the case this past season, if injuries struck the Sabres again, Domi could step up. He’s also figured out how to win faceoffs over the past two seasons, and even if he finished the year with just a 50.0 percent win percentage in the regular season, breaking even would benefit the Sabres more than anyone else has at the dot over the past two seasons. 

No, Domi doesn’t convert many shots into goals, with a career shooting percentage of just 9.9. But he knows where the open man is who can then convert a shot into a goal, evidenced by his 74 assists over the past two seasons. 

One downside is that Domi wouldn’t be a game-changing player, but again, we’re talking about one of the more realistic signings for the Sabres. Yet, as in Toronto, he made for a great supplement to the star players, and as implied in the previous section, let’s not assume just yet that the Sabres wouldn’t rebound from a down year offensively if they brought on a good complementary player in Domi.