Locked On Sabres - Daily Podcast On The Buffalo Sabres

Patrick Kane is not coming home, he is going back to the Chicago Blackhawks on a 2-year deal that will pay him $8M per year. Kane's deal likely means he'll go his entire career never playing for his hometown Buffalo Sabres, although most Sabres fans are actually happy about that. How competitive was the Sabres offer? It could've paid Kane more, but likely was not a guaranteed deal. Kane passing on the Sabres means they will need to find a fix to their powerplay somewhere else.

Sneaky Joe breaks down coaching changes Lindy Ruff and Seth Appert should use to get more out of the man-advantage, from more dump and chases, to working the puck down low once they're in the zone. Effectively running the powerplay through Josh Doan and Zach Benson, instead of Tage Thompson. Also, there are internal personnel options to replace Josh Norris on the top-unit, led by Jiri Kulich. While he hasn't had NHL success yet on the powerplay, Kulich's skillset and AHL career show a player that should be perfect for the right flank, opposite Tage.

If not Konsta Helenius might have the ability to contribute in his rookie season too.

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The best two forwards for the Buffalo Sabres in the playoffs were Zach Benson and Josh Doan. Both scored important goals, made great plays as playmakers, and tirelessly outworked their opponent. Both players did that all season to earn long-term seven year contracts with the Sabres. Now that both are cornerstone players for the team, where do we go from here? Sneaky Joe believes there is an incredibly high offensive ceiling for Benson and defends the idea of him starting next season on the top-line with Tage Thompson. Benson is the best passing forward on the team and pairing him with the best goal scorer makes sense. Doan, meanwhile, should be in line for a role on the penalty kill and likely more ice-time at 5v5 with Alex Tuch out the door. Plus, a crazy three team trade idea where the Sabres get Connor Hellebuyck.

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The Buffalo Sabres have a lot of centers, more than needed to fill a lineup. Two veteran centers in Josh Norris and Ryan McLeod are both very good players, but have weaknesses that make them expendable. With Norris you have a player that simply cannot stay healthy. In McLeod, you have a player that is building a reputation for letting you down in the playoffs. Norris might have more to give as a goal-scorer and a faceoff specialist, and with the injury risk, he seems unlikely to fetch whole value. However, at just $5M, with no trade protection, McLeod might be the perfect man to move off the roster for something else. Plus, updates on Patrick Kane and the Sabres season opener.

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The Buffalo Sabres and Peyton Krebs have avoided arbitration, agreeing on a four-year, $4.5M extension, almost exactly the same deal that Jack Drury got in Nashville this offseason. With the signing, the Sabres now have a lot of money tied up in bottom six forwards, especially Krebs, Beck Malenstyn, and Jason Zucker. Three players Sneaky Joe believes the Sabres should've been willing to say goodbye to in order to keep Alex Tuch this offseason.

With Krebs now paid good money, will his role expand? Krebs already has become a forward that can play center or winger on any line at 5-on-5, but is there more coming? Krebs has not taken on the role of penalty killer nor faceoff specialist, two jobs that are available for him to grab, if he can improve big time in both areas.

Also, an update on Connor Hellebuyck makes it look even more likely that he'll ultimately end up in Buffalo.

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The Buffalo Sabres haven't made any big moves to get better this offseason, just moderate ones like Olen Zellweger. With the losses of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, can the Sabres win the Stanley Cup with the roster they presently have? Sneaky Joe lays out five things that could propel the Sabres to being a team that could win the Cup. Based around big seasons from the likes of Konsta Helenius, Noah Östlund, Zach Benson, Josh Norris staying healthy, and another good goalie season. Plus, what the Sabres lines should be if opening night was tonight. And why Helenius should open the season as the team's #1 center. Also, the Anaheim Ducks are vulnerable after matching the massive offer-sheet for Leo Carlsson. 

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Peyton Krebs has filed for arbitration with the Buffalo Sabres as a restricted free agent, setting up a very interesting dilemma for the Sabres. Krebs has turned into a very useful player that is versatile enough to play on the top line and the fourth line, playing center or wing. But what is Krebs' role going forward? The Sabres are loaded with fourth line centers already, and you probably want better for Tage Thompson's top line winger, so where does he fit? Without a real need for him, and a career season for Krebs, the cost to keep him could be just too much to bear. Jack Drury, a comparable to Krebs in the NHL, just signed for five years, $4.5 million per year. If Krebs commands that sort of price, the Sabres should look for a trade or settle for a short term deal in arbitration.

If Krebs is here still, where will he play in 2026-27 with the Sabres having so many bodies up front? And we figure out what the proper level of smoke is on Patrick Kane coming home to Buffalo. It sounds like there's at least a possibility, and there is some merit to the idea, outside of 'it would be cool to see Kane play here.'

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The Buffalo Sabres sign Olen Zellweger to a new three year extension, at a very team friendly cap hit, giving the Sabres room to still make a swing if they want to. If the Sabres were to get Connor Hellebuyck in a deal, only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would have to go back in the deal to make the salaries work. There is also the matter of Peyton Krebs' contract, which could be heading for arbitration, or even another team offer-sheeting him. What Krebs' contract comes in at will also be a big determining factor on what the Sabres are able to do with the rest of the offseason. And with the Flyers massive offer-sheet of Leo Carlsson, how does that change the state of the NHL on offer-sheets and big salaries in general?

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Free agency day has arrived! And while the biggest names are off the market already, there are still plenty of good veteran ideas out there for the Buffalo Sabres. Starting with Claude Giroux, who even at 38 years old, is a very good top six forward that fits the specific things the Sabres need help at. Powerplay and faceoffs. Giroux is still a great playmaker on a top powerplay unit. He also has led the NHL in faceoff win percentage in each of the last two seasons. You won't find a better player in the NHL in the faceoff circle. Giroux's contract could look really appealing too because of age and what he was just signed for in Ottawa.

Other ideas include Anders Lee, the Islanders captain who will test free agency. At 35 years old, Lee is still a productive middle six winger, but he might be a risky idea on a multi-year deal. Also, a look at Mason Marchment and Viktor Arvidsson is a look at two very different types of wingers that produce similarly. It's the big slow guy vs the small fast guy.

And WHY DID THE SABRES HIRE MILAN LUCIC!?!?!

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The Buffalo Sabres didn't get a deal done for Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck at the NHL Draft, but by most accounts they came very close. Hellebuyck was not traded anywhere else, there are no rumors connecting him to any other destination, and Elliotte Freidman reports he would waive his no-trade clause for Buffalo. So, the Sabres should still be considered the favorites to land the best goalie in the world. The reported trade demands from Winnipeg included the 4th pick, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Jack Quinn, and another prospect. If this is true, what is a reasonable package that Jarmo Kekäläinen could put together to get this deal done? It's hard to see the deal not include either Konsta Helenius or Noah Östlund.

Plus, why the Sabres may be looking to move on from UPL, whether it's for Hellebuyck or someone else. Rumors about Edmonton poking around a Devon Levi trade. And is there room for Peyton Krebs in the Sabres cap picture after signing Beck Malenstyn to a six-year extension?

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Before the NHL Draft on Friday night, Jarmo Kekäläinen swung a trade to help replace the departure of Bowen Byram for the short-term, and maybe the long-term, acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks. Zellweger is a 22-year old, small defenseman, who is one of the fastest blueliners in the entire NHL. He also has the skill to score goals and setup chances in the offensive zone. The perfect type of defenseman for Lindy Ruff's system. Especially if Zellweger plays with Owen Power, he's a prime candidate to show up in Buffalo and breakout in 2026-27. Zellweger does need a contract, which will be an interesting one for Jarmo and company.

Plus, more about the three forwards the Sabres drafted in rounds four, five, and six of the NHL Draft. All of which read like the same type of player. Defensive minded forwards that could factor into the Sabres bottom-six in the future. All potential Anton Wahlberg replacements in the system.

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