3 potential NHL buyout candidates the Sabres should keep an eye on
The Buffalo Sabres will be looking for some upgrades in the 2024 offseason, and sometimes buyout candidates are the way to roll.
Two days after the Stanley Cup Final concludes, the NHL’s buyout period will commence, and with it comes potential sleepers for a team like the Buffalo Sabres to sign. Sure, sometimes players are bought out because they didn’t perform anywhere near expectations with their soon-to-be former teams, but that’s not always the case.
Organizations looking to build a winner long-term could buy out a player because it would make more financial sense than to keep them on their roster for another few seasons. Knowing that not all players will be cast-offs, there will be at least a few hidden gems available after either the Edmonton Oilers or Florida Panthers hoist the Stanley Cup.
Let’s look at three potential buyout candidates who could be great fits for the Sabres once the back half of June rolls around.
Lars Eller could be the answer to winning defensive zone faceoffs
Lars Eller may be an older player, and he will be heading into his age-35 season, but someone needs to start winning faceoffs for the Sabres when they are short-handed and in the defensive zone. Eller could be someone who spends just one season in his next stop, but for the Blue and Gold, they may need a stopgap in the bottom-six.
Eller may have just a 50.2 career faceoff win percentage, but that number also sits at 53.0 over the past two seasons, or 166 games - he played in 84 regular season contests in 2022-23 for the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche. Eller is also a fair points producer for someone who would be on the lower lines in Buffalo should a buyout and subsequent signing occur.
He finished this past season with 31 points and 15 goals in 82 contests and with 15:58 of average total ice time. If he’s asked to contribute just 12 or 13 minutes instead in a place like Buffalo, there shouldn’t be too much of a drop-off in overall productivity, especially if the Sabres rediscover what made them such a high-scoring team during the 2022-23 season before dropping off last year.
His advanced statistics were also encouraging, as Eller posted a 50.7 Corsi For Percentage despite a 26.3 offensive zone starting percentage. He also logged an encouraging 91.9 percent on-ice save percentage in the defensive zone, and he was on the ice for two more goals than expected at even strength.
Patrik Laine could rejuvenate his career with the Sabres
Patrik Laine barely saw the ice this past season, and he played in just 18 games before entering the NHL’s Player Assistance Program in late January. Laine is an ultra-talented player who, if bought out, should receive some interest from contenders and organizations currently building what they hope are winning rosters.
No, Laine hasn’t been a great player since he landed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but he also hasn’t been that bad, and you can even go as far as to say he’s been decent. In 2020-21, he appeared in 45 games with Columbus, but he recorded just 21 points and 10 goals before figuring things out over the next two seasons when he finished with 56 and 52 points in 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively.
Laine could always return to the Blue Jackets and end up with a point-per-game or at least close to, but with a change in management, it’s why he’s on this list. We should also remember that Laine was incredible during his first few seasons in the NHL when he put up 64 points and 36 goals as a rookie and took second for the Calder Trophy.
He followed that campaign up with 44 goals and 70 points, plus an eye-popping 18.3 shooting percentage. Overall, Laine’s more than shown he can and will remain a top-six player in the NHL, and he will be 26 during the 2024-25 season, so he’s got a lot of good hockey left. If the Blue Jackets end up buying out his contract, someone may end up getting a steal with Laine.
Justin Holl would be an ultra-familiar face if the Sabres let their RFAs walk
Of the three players listed, Justin Holl would be the least likely one to find a home in Buffalo. It’s tough to see him sticking around the Motor City, if this past season serves as an example. Holl played in just 38 games for the Detroit Red Wings and registered an ultra-career-low average total ice time of just 15:05 in seasons when he played in 38 games or more.
But his presence on the blue line, even as a seventh defenseman, would bring a hard-hitting mentality, someone who isn’t afraid to block shots on goal, and a player who would provide solid play in the defensive zone at even strength and when short-handed.
The Red Wings struggled defensively this past season, but that wasn’t always the case with Holl, who finished with a 92.3 on-ice save percentage at even strength, and he saw just 21 goals go by in that same situation. Adjust the latter number to 82 games, and you get just 45 goals allowed.
While his possession quality at even strength was a measly minus-6.2, he was on the ice for 10 goals above expected with 28. His xGA in the same situation sat at 24.4, so overall, Holl’s impact was a little better than what was expected, and it also shows he could help out a team like the Sabres if Kevyn Adams opts to let restricted free agents Henri Jokiharju, Kale Clague, and Jacob Bryson walk.
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