Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is staring down a busy summer that'll shape the team's fortunes for the foreseeable future. It starts with deciding how to handle the club's internal free agents, led by UFA Alex Tuch and RFA Zach Benson.
Kekalainen's work will be complicated by limited financial flexibility. Buffalo enters the offseason with just $12.9 million in projected salary-cap space, according to PuckPedia. If Tuch is re-signed, he's expected to take up around $10.5 million by himself.
It's also a weak NHL free-agent class, which means any significant upgrades to the Sabres roster ahead of the 2026-27 season will likely have to come via trades. In turn, some key players and/or prospects may end up on the trade block in the months ahead.
That begs the question: Which Buffalo players should be viewed as untouchable? Let's discuss. (This analysis is based on realistic, plausible scenarios. If a player like Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid suddenly became available, throw this list out the window.)
1. Rasmus Dahlin
Dahlin is a finalist for the Norris Trophy after posting a career-high 74 points (19 goals and 55 assists) across 77 regular-season appearances. He added four goals and 10 helpers in 13 playoff games prior to the Sabres' Game 7 elimination at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.
The 26-year-old defenseman, who's served as Buffalo's captain since September 2024, has lived up to every ounce of expectations since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He's under contract through the 2031-32 season and isn't going anywhere.
2. Tage Thompson
Thompson isn't a perfect player — he turns the puck over too frequently and his defensive weaknesses get exposed when asked to play center on a full-time basis — but it'd be impossible to replace a three-time 40-goal scorer who's making a modest $7.1 million through 2029-30.
The 6-foot-6 sniper racked up 81 points (40 goals and 41 assists) in 81 games to help the Sabres finally end their 14-year playoff drought. His skating was labored at times in the postseason, but it appears that was linked to a lingering back injury. He'll be ready to roll to open next season.
3. Zach Benson
Kekalainen should do everything in his power to sign Benson to a long-term contract extension this summer. AFP Analytics projected a $7 million cap hit on a seven-year deal. Buffalo should jump at the opportunity if the rising star's asking price is in that neighborhood.
The 21-year-old winger possesses a tireless motor, elite playmaking ability and on-ice awareness that's well beyond his years. He's made steady progress across three NHL seasons, including a career-best 43 points in 65 games this year, and should be a franchise pillar for a long, long time.
4. Josh Doan
The Sabres already showcased their belief in Doan when they signed him to a seven-year, $48.7 million contract extension in January. It took just a few months after his arrival from the Utah Mammoth in the JJ Peterka trade to see he was only scratching the surface of his potential.
Doan, 24, posted a modest 28 points in 52 games across two years with the Mammoth. He proceeded to record 25 goals and 27 assists across 82 outings during his first season in Buffalo. Him and Benson terrorized opponents when playing on the same line in the playoffs.
5. Mattias Samuelsson
Talk about an amazing turnaround. Samuelsson entered the campaign as one of the most criticized players on the Sabres roster because of his injury history, limited offensive production and unwillingness to protect teammates despite his leadership role. Everything changed in 2025-26.
The 26-year-old blueliner appeared in 78 of the club's 82 regular-season games, shocked the hockey world with 41 points (13 goals and 28 assists) and showed a more consistent physical edge. His $4.3 million cap hit is now one of the NHL's biggest bargains.
6. Konsta Helenius
Too soon? Absolutely not. Helenius was dominant with the AHL's Rochester Americans this season, putting up 63 points (21 goals and 42 assists) in 63 games, and there were stretches where he was essentially single-handedly carrying a depleted Amerks offense.
The prized prospect didn't look out of place at the NHL level, either. He stood out with a three-point performance during a nine-game stint during the regular season and he was unquestionably one of the Sabres' best forwards after joining the playoff lineup. He's here to stay.
7. Owen Power
This was the toughest call. Would Power be made available by Kekalainen if the right offer came along for a high-end first-line center that could give Buffalo another offensive cornerstone while allowing Thompson to play solely on the wing? Maybe.
Yet, we're talking about a 23-year-old former first overall pick who's made tremendous strides at both ends of the ice and isn't breaking the bank with an $8.4 million cap hit. Trading him would come with extreme risk and could come back to haunt the Sabres for over a decade.
Notable Sabres players who missed the untouchable cut
Bowen Byram
Kekalainen expressed interest in signing Byram, who has one year left on his contract, to an extension this summer during his end-of-season press conference. If that happens, the mobile defenseman won't be moved at any point in the near future. The contract uncertainty makes things a bit less concrete, though.
Radim Mrtka
Mrtka, recently rated as the Sabres' top prospect, would be tough to lose. It's hard to find 6-foot-6 right-shot defensemen with his combination of skill, physicality and hockey IQ. The front office will have to give up something of value to make a blockbuster trade, however, and the Czech defender will be coveted by other organizations.
Noah Ostlund
Buffalo is a better team when Ostlund is on the ice, a point proven by the club's uptick in play when the rookie returned from injury in the playoffs, only to get sidelined by a separate ailment a short time later. His limited offensive upside keeps him just below the untouchable tier, though.
Jiri Kulich
Kulich played just 12 games this season before a blood clot ended his campaign. He underwent surgery and expects to return for the start of the 2026-27 term. His goal-scoring potential makes him highly intriguing, but it's possible he could be included in a potential blockbuster deal.
Any player or prospect not named above, which is a group that includes Josh Norris, Ryan McLeod, Jack Quinn, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi, among others, should be available if the price is right. The Sabres should also put all of their draft picks on the table in summer trade talks.
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