The Buffalo Sabres have been linked to numerous forwards in trade rumors leading up to the 2025-26 season. The latest name to join the list is the San Jose Sharks' Alexander Wennberg, a 2013 first-round pick entering his 12th NHL campaign.
Michael Augello of The Hockey News reported Wednesday that Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams' quest to upgrade the team's top six is now likely to extend into the new season since training camp is right around the corner. The search may not heat up until closer to the 2026 trade deadline.
That said, the Sabres may "pull out all the stops" leading up to the March deadline if they're in contention to end their 14-year playoff drought, according to Augello.
Although Adams, who's in his sixth year leading the Buffalo front office, will face immense pressure to keep the club in the postseason mix, it's fair to question whether a player like Wennberg would represent the best use of trade resources.
Wennberg's NHL track record
The 30-year-old Sweden native has carved out a solid journeyman career across stops with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers and now the Sharks.
Wennberg signed a two-year, $10 million contract with San Jose last summer. He posted 35 points (10 goals and 25 assists) in 77 appearances during the first season of the deal.
The 6-foot-2 center's best statistical season came with the Blue Jackets in 2016-17 when he tallied 59 points in 80 games. In all, he's recorded 101 goals and 269 assists in 789 NHL contests.
Wennberg's calling card isn't his offense, though. He's a defensively sound pivot (554 blocked shots and 426 hits in his career) who's decent in transition and doesn't hurt his team by taking penalties, as evidenced by having just 169 penalty minutes in 11 seasons.
While there's certainly value to having that type of player in the bottom six, that's not what Buffalo really needs right now to take its forward group to another level.
Analyzing Sabres' forward needs
Adams trading winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth this offseason was a catch-22 situation. Yes, getting Michael Kesselring to play alongside Owen Power made sense and Josh Doan possesses some untapped potential, but the departure of Peterka also left a glaring hole on the top line.
If Buffalo is going to make a high-profile trade between now and the deadline, it should almost surely be centered around a high-scoring winger, not a defensive-minded center.
Sure, the Sabres may also have a need in the middle of the ice if Jiri Kulich doesn't take a significant step forward this year or Josh Norris continues to deal with injury issues, but the overarching view remains the same: The need up front is offense, not defense.
That doesn't mean Wennberg won't be a valuable trade chip for the Sharks if they fade out of the playoff race before the deadline. A lot of contenders are typically looking for a defensively reliable third- or fourth-line center ahead of their postseason run. He can fill that role well.
It's just not what Buffalo needs at the moment. The Sabres should set their sights higher if they're in position to serve as a buyer ahead of the deadline this season.