Two RFAs the Sabres should keep and two they shouldn’t

The Buffalo Sabres, like all NHL teams this offseason, have some decisions to make. Four UFAs are set to hit free agency July 1, and five RFAs. While SabreNoise and other sites have covered the soon to depart UFAs, there’s been scantier coverage about the restricted free agents.

Here are two RFAs the Sabres should resign before the free agency deadline and two the franchise could let go if they get better offers elsewhere.

Peyton Krebs

Forward Peyton Krebs came to Buffalo with Alex Tuch as part of the Jack Eichel trade in 2021. While Tuch has enjoyed a strong offensive run in his time playing for the blue and gold with two 20 goal plus seasons, his former Vegas teammate Krebs has struggled.

Number 19 had just 9 goals and 17 assists in his best season in Buffalo in 2022-23. It might be too soon to pull the plug on any Krebs resigning. Not long ago, WGR 550’s Paul Hamilton made the case that the Sabres should lock him up before the free agency deadline.

Hamilton compared Krebs to recently traded center Casey Mittelstadt. Many sports pundits and fans, including Hamilton, gave up on Mitts when he had low stats a few years ago. Mittelstadt turned out to be a late bloomer and Krebs could be the same type of player.

This writer agrees with Hamilton and feels the Sabres mistakenly traded Mittelstadt away. Given Buffalo’s cap space, GM Kevyn Adams could make a deal with Krebs that wouldn’t cost the team a ton in salary cap and might prove to be a wise decision.