Rumors continue to swirl about potential NHL expansion — hockey agent Allan Walsh recently predicted it's "coming" with new franchises in Atlanta and Houston — which means the league's current teams would each likely lose two players in a subsequent expansion draft.
It'd create a tricky environment for Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who possesses a strong organizational depth chart but could use another superstar or two to match the NHL's elite Stanley Cup contenders.
Would an expansion announcement increase the pressure on Kekalainen to make a blockbuster trade, using some of that depth to target a high-profile player since he'd face the potential of losing a key contributor or two in the expansion draft anyway? Perhaps so.
For now, we'll predict the Sabres' potential protection list based on the current roster, using the rules for the NHL's most recent expansion drafts. That includes protecting seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie. (An alternative format is available for eight skaters and one goaltender, but Buffalo would likely stick with the 11-player option.)
We'll also assume the expansion draft will occur while prized prospects like Konsta Helenius and Daxon Rudolph, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, are still automatically protected. That may not necessarily be the case if the new teams arrive later than 2028, though.
Buffalo Sabres' projected protection list for NHL's next expansion draft
Forwards: Tage Thompson, Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Josh Norris, Ryan McLeod, Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich
The most notable admission here is Jack Quinn, who's been a trade candidate in recent years and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in 2027. It's quite possible he's no longer on the Sabres' roster by the time a hypothetical expansion draft takes place.
That said, Quinn could change the equation with a second straight strong season. He's coming off a career-high 51 points (20 goals and 31 assists) in 82 games, and he'll be counted on to take another step offensively following the offseason departure of Alex Tuch.
If Buffalo re-signs the 24-year-old Canadian winger to a long-term contract extension next summer, he'd become a virtual lock to get protected.
Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn, who were both re-signed since the 2025-26 campaign ended, miss out. Krebs could ultimately make a lot of sense for a new organization as a bottom-six center.
As for those protected, Thompson, Benson and Doan are no-doubters. Ostlund and Kulich, who's returning from a blood clot, can achieve that status with two strong seasons before possible expansion.
Norris and McLeod are the "swing" forwards. Norris tends to make a meaningful offensive impact when healthy, but his injury history is a concern. If Buffalo is worried about its financial situation, leaving him exposed could be an easy way to create $8 million in salary-cap space, though it's unlikely.
McLeod has been a rock-solid middle-six center for the Sabres over the past two years, but his poor playoff performance caused some fans to sour on him. It's more probable he'd be traded than left exposed for an expansion draft if the front office wants to move in a new direction.
Defensemen: Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson
Pretty much zero debate when it comes to the blue line. Dahlin, Power and Samuelsson are all signed through at least 2030 and there's simply no reason to break up the club's strong defensive core, which could end up remaining in place for another decade.
The only point of emphasis here would be what happens with Olen Zellweger, who was signed to a three-year extension after being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in late June.
Zellweger, a 2021 second-round pick, flashed a lot of offensive potential across three seasons with the Ducks, but his defensive impacts were concerning. He'll need to make strides at that end of the ice to become a true top-four defender for the prime of his career.
If he does level up his game over the next two years, the Sabres may enter the 2028 offseason with little option beyond trading him, assuming that's when expansion occurs.
It's unlikely he'll leapfrog Dahlin, Power or Samuelsson in Buffalo's defensive pecking order, and Kekalainen won't want to lose a player of Zellweger's caliber for nothing in an expansion draft.
That's why having Rudolph in the pipeline to take on a second-pairing role alongside Power at some point over the next few years is a nice luxury for the Sabres.
Goalie: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
A looming expansion draft may bolster the case for Buffalo to complete a marquee trade for Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck, a move that was heavily rumored ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Sabres received strong performance from their three-goalie rotation of UPL, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis last year (at least during the regular season), but there's still little certainty about the future of the position.
Lyon is 33 and set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027, while Ellis still has to prove whether he's capable of becoming more than a No. 3 option in the crease.
Luukkonen, who's signed through 2029, has enjoyed strong stretches as Buffalo's starter — he posted a .910 save percentage in 2023-24 and a .909 mark last season — but a complete lack of consistency leaves questions about whether he's a bona fide No. 1 netminder.
Making a deal for Hellebuyck would make the expansion decision simple, and may lead to the Sabres returning to a more traditional two-goaltender approach.
Unless that type of headline-making trade happens, however, UPL has the inside track for this spot on the protection list.
Add us as a preferred source on Google