February 8, 2025, Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch 89 reacts after Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens 24 scored a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period. Nashville USA - ZUMAh237 20250208_zsp_h237_068 Copyright: xCamdenxHallx
February 8, 2025, Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch 89 reacts after Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens 24 scored a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period. Nashville USA - ZUMAh237 20250208_zsp_h237_068 Copyright: xCamdenxHallx
While this offseason saw teams throwing money all over the league, the 2025-26 Atlantic Division champion, Buffalo Sabres, held out and guarded their capital.
The Sabres bade farewell to defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Alex Tuch, watched Patrick Kane choose the Chicago Blackhawks and didn’t get to welcome the Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, despite all the rumors. However, GM Jarmo Kekalainen didn’t see this as a losing case.
“We have a very good team, so we don’t have to get into the desperate moves,” he said in early July, per The Athletic’s writer Matthew Fairburn. “We could just look at our group and say we’re going to get better and we’re going to grow. If there’s the right piece there that fits perfectly, let’s do it.”
Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres 72 celebrates his goal, happy, laugh, celebration, with Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres 26 in the friendly match of the Global Series Challenge EHC RB MUENCHEN - BUFFALO SABRES 0-5 at SAP Garden in Munich, Germany, Sept 27, 2024. Season 2024/2025, matchday x,
Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres 72 celebrates his goal, happy, laugh, celebration, with Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres 26 in the friendly match of the Global Series Challenge EHC RB MUENCHEN - BUFFALO SABRES 0-5 at SAP Garden in Munich, Germany, Sept 27, 2024. Season 2024/2025, matchday x,
At that time, Kekalainen probably didn’t know what he was predicting, but no deal is always better than a bad deal. The Blackhawks signed Kane to a 2-year, $8M contract and can recoup some of that money from ticket sales nostalgia. Kane’s Hall of Fame experience would also do them good.
But with only $5.1M cap space, the Sabres couldn't have made a costly move like the Blackhawks to get a hold of Kane, at least not without taking a dent in their current roster.
Kekalainen's restraint proved prescient: overpaying for Kane would have crippled the roster that just ended a 14-year playoff drought. And with this good enough team, the GM has other aspects to focus on rather than overpaying.
The Buffalo Sabres Will Focus On Their Young Talent
With Byram and Tuch out, the team will most likely go into the 2026-27 season with the likes of Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Konsta Helenius, Jack Quinn, Noah Östlund and Jiri Kulich, per Fairburn. These players have yet to prove their NHL prowess, and that’s why the training camp will be important.
“I’m hoping to see that big difference on the first day of training camp,” the GM said, per another article by Fairburn. “You can’t say they’re here now; let’s get them here. It’s happening. Sometimes it’s up and down. But that’s our job to evaluate where they’re at, what they’re ready for.”
The goal is to focus on the young talents, build a long-term future and gain some flexibility on the cap. After all, the season has yet to begin, and Kekalainen can surely pick up talent along the way if something catches his eye.
What do you think of Kekalainen’s approach? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Deblina Roy