Locked On Sabres - Daily Podcast On The Buffalo Sabres

Jarmo Kekäläinen's former captain in Columbus, Boone Jenner, is slated to become a free agent in a couple weeks. Does it make sense for Jarmo to pursue his guy? Jenner provides faceoffs, goals, and veteran leadership at a likely reasonable contract. At 33 years old, and wanting some term on his next deal, the Sabres may have to give out a three year contract to get Jenner. Is it worth it? Jenner is a great faceoff man, but the Sabres already have a surplus at the center position. Plus, celebrating 10 years of the Locked On Podcast Network, Sneaky Joe has his Top-10 Sabres moments in Locked On Sabres history!

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Buffalo Sabres fans have wondered for years if Patrick Kane would ever play for his hometown team. Now at 37 years old, it feels like it's now or never. It's a very polarizing idea. Some would run out to buy his jersey immediately, while likely more want nothing to do with it. Is there any merit to signing Kane for on-ice reasons at this point in his career? Kane's ability on the powerplay is still there and that's one of the things the Sabres will be looking to get better at this offseason. Kane might just fit that need, but is there enough left at 5-on-5 to warrant the signing?

A look at what Kane's contract would be on his next team shows a cheap deal that the Sabres would be able to fit into their cap picture. It doesn't seem like the worst idea in the world, if the Sabres need to dip into a very weak free agency class.

Plus, what's new on the NHL rumor mill, including where we're at with Connor Hellebuyck.

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Many Buffalo Sabres fans have wondered about trading Owen Power over the years, but after a stellar playoff campaign, fewer and fewer of them are as into the idea. Power played through an ankle sprain in Game 7 against the Canadiens and played fantastic in over 28 minutes of action, setting up Rasmus Dahlin for the game tying goal in the 3rd period, despite playing through an injury. Sneaky Joe believes Power deserves enough respect to pretty much be considered untouchable in a trade.

HOWEVER, there are a select few players in the league that the Sabres would have to consider trading Power for, if they are even available. Brady Tkachuk in Ottawa and Jason Robertson in Dallas.

Plus, Nikita Kucherov winning the Hart Trophy makes the Jon Cooper Jack Adams win look even more pathetic.

Indeed

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Not Dylan Larkin, not Jordan Kyrou, but is Nico Hischier the best trade target for the Buffalo Sabres? The New Jersey Devils captain is having trouble locking down a contract extension with his team and could be on the move. Would the Sabres be in the market for a 60+ point center that plays powerplay, penalty kill, and excels at faceoffs? Hischier would become the Sabres #1 center, and could be an incredible duo with Tage Thompson. And no one knows Hischier better than Lindy Ruff, who oversaw Hischier becoming a Selke level center at the NHL level, and named him captain while coach of the Devils.

Hischier does need a contract, so the extension would be a big price to pay for the Sabres. Something north of $11 million per year is likely for whatever team trades for him. With that piece coming back, it would be a hefty price to pay to send elite young pieces, and dish out a contract like that, but Hischier might just be worth it.

Indeed

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The biggest trade in the NHL this offseason is likely going to be a Dylan Larkin trade, if the Red Wings honor his request and send him to a contender. The Buffalo Sabres are not on Larkin's original trade request list, but could they bully their way onto it? Steve Yzerman being stubborn about Larkin's trade could actually play into the Sabres advantage. But it will take having the best offer and maybe by a lot. No way that happens without Noah Östlund in the deal, at least. Is Larkin still a good enough player to warrant a massive package? He might just be the perfect player for Lindy Ruff's system. Former Sabres coach Don Granato had some glowing things to say about Larkin as a leader as well. 

Larkin would figure in to play on a top-line and could be a perfect combo with Tage Thompson, who would move to the wing.

Indeed

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Many Sabres fans are beginning to get on board with the idea of letting Alex Tuch walk away in free agency and not pay him the giant contract extension. Sneaky Joe believes there is a very real circumstance in which the Sabres should pay Tuch that big contract. If in the next month, Jarmo Kekäläinen cannot secure a younger, better replacement for Tuch on their top line, they should step up and keep him around. The long-term consequences of paying Tuch have been grossly overstated. By looking at percentage of the growing cap, Tuch's potential deal begins to look much more favorable.

Paying Tuch may cause the Sabres to say goodbye to good players at the bottom of the depth chart, but Joe believes that is the way to build in the new cap world. Could Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn be the first cuts using that type of strategy? With the Sabres already having Sam Carrick, Tyson Kozak, Justin Danforth, and Jordan Greenway under contract for the fourth line, does paying Malenstyn and Krebs really make sense? There's some chatter that there hasn't been progress on either player.

Indeed

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It is INCREDIBLE, but somehow Jon Cooper is your 2026 Jack Adams Award winner over Lindy Ruff and all the other top coach candidates and there is no intelligent argument for it. There's no doubt in anyone's mind, and voters aren't even hiding from it, that Cooper simply won because he had never won the award before. Lindy gets the award stolen away because of a pre-meditated vote by at least 36 voters from the Broadcasters Association. Call it a participation trophy, call it a pity award, call it whatever you want, but Cooper wins the award despite a losing record to the Sabres, not winning the division, a team that was totally undisciplined, and constant blaming others in the media. It's one of the biggest farces in sports awards ever.

Plus, Dylan Larkin wants out of Detroit! The Sabres should be very interested in the idea. Larkin has a 30-goal season streak going and has a very reasonable contract, despite turning 30-years old next month.

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Indeed

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Alex Tuch could very well leave Buffalo in free agency and the Sabres don't have to be terrified of that, in large part due to their young talent. Especially Konsta Helenius and Noah Östlund. Both players look like they're going to be top-six guys for a long time. Some of the things the Sabres will be losing in Tuch like speed, goal scoring, defense, and penalty killing, Helenius and Östlund both will replace.

What is the ceiling for both players? After playing great in the Canadiens series and scoring the golden goal at the World Championships, it appears as though Helenius has the potential of being a #1 center in the NHL that could play with Tage Thompson on the top-line, maybe even next season. Helenius might also be the Sabres savior on the powerplay.

Plus, Östlund gives the Sabres a potential long-term shutdown #2 center after a fantastic season defensively, and some highlights offensively. Östlund's play in the Boston series shows someone that could make not just Tuch, but also make Ryan McLeod expendable.

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Indeed

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If the Buffalo Sabres walk away from an Alex Tuch extension, there are very few players they could acquire to replace his production. St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou would be one of them and there is reason to believe he is available for trade. Kyrou and the Blues may have animosity that makes him available. A 28 year old, three time 30 goal scorer, that is under contract for 5 years at $8.1 million is the perfect guy to play on the Sabres top line going forward. Is Kyrou still that player after a down year of just 18 goals? A lesser role in the Blues lineup, a minor knee injury, and getting in the coaches doghouse all contributed to just 18 goals. On the Sabres it would likely go a lot better.

With the age and contract of Kyrou, he would cost a lot to get. Luckily for the Sabres, there's evidence that the Blues are very interested in acquiring Radim Mrtka, maybe trying to do it twice already. Would a 1st round pick on top of Mrtka be enough for Kyrou? The Sabres may have to add one more player in to get the deal done.

Indeed

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There are going to be big trade ideas for the Buffalo Sabres in the summer of 2026, but none will be bigger than trading for Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. There is plenty of reason to believe Hellebuyck wants to be done in Winnipeg and wants to go somewhere where he can win the Stanley Cup. The Sabres should be one of the teams on the list. Sneaky Joe believes if Hellebuyck were to be acquired by the Sabres, they would be Stanley Cup favorites, in at least the Eastern Conference. Despite three Vezina Trophies and a Hart Trophy, there is some doubt as to whether Hellebuyck is still the player he once was, after a down year. Joe breaks down his 2025-26 season and historical data of goalies at his age to show that you should believe he is still in the middle of his prime.

What would the trade cost? Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would almost certainly have to be in the deal going back to the Jets. Pairing Hellebuyck with Alex Lyon could create the perfect environment not to exhaust Hellebuyck, and get the most out of him come playoff time.

Indeed

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