What might the Sabres 2024-25 lineup look like with no trades or free agent signings?
Okay, here is a fun exercise: What if the Buffalo Sabres brought back most of their team from 2023-24, but general manager Kevyn Adams opted not to make any trades or free agent signings this offseason? For starters, this wouldn’t happen, but it would give an idea of where the Blue and Gold would stand and may look like without including anyone whom they would inevitably sign or trade for this offseason.
So before we get started, let’s go over the rules for this exercise: Anyone on the team last year who is still under contract will return for 2024-25 while pending restricted and unrestricted free agents may return.
Since there are no free agent signings or trades, former Sabres who were moved at the trade deadline, like Kyle Okposo and Casey Mittelstadt, also won’t be listed - nobody recently departed will return anyway.
Forwards
- Jeff Skinner - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch (A)
- JJ Peterka - Jiri Kulich - Jack Quinn
- Isak Rosen - Dylan Cozens - Zach Benson
- Jordan Greenway - Peyton Krebs - Zemgus Girgensons (A)
- Lukas Rousek - Eric Robinson
Here, we got the familiar crew on the top line, so there are no changes. But I broke up the Kid Line, mainly because I felt that, in this scenario, the Sabres would be better off placing two experienced wingers, or at least wingers with multiple years of experience, around Jiri Kulich.
The same goes for Dylan Cozens, who would line up alongside a player heading into their first full season in Isak Rosen. Zach Benson has just one year under his belt, so lining him up alongside a veteran works too.
Jordan Greenway drops to the fourth line alongside a returning Peyton Krebs and Zemgus Girgensons, which would give the Blue and Gold a hard-hitting trio. Lukas Rousek gets a full-time NHL promotion and factors in as an extra, while Eric Robinson returns on a one-year deal and is the 14th forward.
Victor Olofsson goes elsewhere here, and Tyson Jost is either playing for another organization or he re-signs and starts the year in Rochester.