The Buffalo Sabres were hit with some bad news on Thursday, as Patrick Kane signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Sabres were heavily linked to Kane before this, but now they will need to explore their options for forward help elsewhere.
When noting that the Sabres moved on from Alex Tuch this off-season, there is no question that they should add another forward to their roster before the start of the season. However, with it now being more than three weeks since the start of NHL free agency, there are not a ton of notable UFA forwards available.
Advertisement
Although this is the case, one UFA winger who could make sense for the Sabres to pivot to after missing out on Kane is Eeli Tolvanen.
It is somewhat surprising that Tolvanen is still a free agent at this point in the off-season. He is only 27 years old, chips in offensively, and plays a heavy game. With these qualities, he could be a solid addition to the Sabres’ forward group if signed.
If the Sabres signed Tolvanen, he would have the potential to be a strong addition to their top nine. Furthermore, due to his solid two-way play, he would give them another option to work with on their penalty kill.
In 78 games during this past season with the Seattle Kraken, Tolvanen posted 12 goals, 24 assists, 36 points, and 187 hits. This was after he scored a career-high 23 goals and recorded 35 points in 2024-25 with Seattle. He also threw over 200 hits in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Overall, on a short-term deal, Tolvanen could be worth taking a flier on for the Sabres. It will be interesting to see if they make a push for him from here.
Read the full article here
