The Buffalo Sabres could be approaching a crossroads when it comes to the future of star defenseman Bowen Byram. We’ve argued on THN.com that the Sabres should hang onto Byram, but for argument’s sake, let’s say Buffalo and Byram part ways. If that happens, there are numerous veterans the Sabres could bring in to shore up their defense corps.
Let’s start with Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen. The 30-year-old is under contract for the next two seasons at a very reasonable $5.1-million salary, and his physical game is precisely what the Sabres need more of.
Of course, Ristolainen spent the first eight seasons of his NHL career with the Sabres, but while Buffalo traded him to Philly in 2021, a reunion in Western New York might work out very well for Ristolainen and the Sabres. Ristolainen has no no-trade or no-move clauses in his current contract, but you can argue the Sabres are closer to a playoff berth than the Flyers will be next season, so a move back to Buffalo may be right up Ristolainen’s alley.
Meanwhile, another D-man option for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams to target is Vegas Golden Knights veteran Nicolas Hague. Like Ristolainen, the 26-year-old is a big body (6-foot-6), and given that Vegas has.a logjam of talent on the back end, the Sabres wouldn’t have to give up the sun and moon to acquire him. Hague made $2.29-million this year, but he’s an RFA who would give Buffalo team control over him.
Finally, there’s Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, who has one more year in his current contract at $4.6-million, but so long as Buffalo isn’t on Oleksiak’s 16-team no-trade list, he’d provide some calm and experience to the Sabres’ defense.
Does Ducks Young Star Forward Make Sense As A Trade Target For Sabres?As one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL for many seasons now, the Buffalo Sabres need to make extensive roster changes this summer. And an intriguing target for the Sabres could be an Anaheim Ducks youngster in need of a change of employer — left winger Trevor Zegras.
As you can see, while there isn’t a superstar D-man out there to step into Byram’s shoes, there are some legitimate candidates potentially available to make Buffalo’s defense corps more formidable than it’s been in recent years. Star blueliners Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power still rule the roost for the Sabres, but Ristolainen, Hague and Oleksiak all bring skill sets to the table that could prove very beneficial to Buffalo’s cause.
Adams would have to give up young players, draft picks and prospects to pluck one of the aforementioned veterans away from their current team. But at this stage in their history, the Sabres don’t need more young players and draft picks.
Sabres Can’t Afford To Wait For Star-Studded UFA Group Of 2026 — They Need To Spend Their Salary Cap Space NowThere are some very good players available in NHL free agency this summer. Toronto Maple Leafs stars Mitch Marner and John Tavares are looming UFAs, as is Vancouver Canucks star winger Brock Boeser. But with that said, let’s be honest — this year’s group of free agents isn’t particularly deep with high-end talent. And that may result in some teams waiting until the summer of 2026 to spend the bulk of their salary cap space. But the Buffalo Sabres can’t afford to be patient and wait until then to improve their lineup. The change for the Sabres has to come right away.
Instead, the Sabres need D-men who’ve consistently demonstrated they can contribute meaningful minutes. And if Adams can acquire at least one of the veterans we’ve mentioned, moving on from Byram might not be so painful.
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