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New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Sabres free agency: Alex Lyon, Justin Danforth, Jacob Bernard-Docker and other moves
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres entered this offseason with a lengthy to-do list. And at the end of the business day on July 1, general manager Kevyn Adams still has work to do. At the beginning of the summer, Adams had two potentially messy contract situations with JJ Peterka and Bowen Byram. One has been resolved. Peterka went to Utah in a trade that brought back Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan, two players who filled needs on Buffalo's roster. Byram's situation is still unresolved. He doesn't have a contract and hasn't been traded. Now that the calendar has flipped to July, the Sabres now have the threat of an offer sheet. Advertisement Beyond those two big pieces of business, Adams also had to work to improve a roster that finished with 79 points and spent most of the season in last place in the Eastern Conference. That improvement didn't come back the way of big-ticket free agents. At least not yet. The Sabres signed goalie Alex Lyon to a reasonable deal and reportedly signed forward Justin Danforth. Those signings, along with the trade for Conor Timmins, represented some decent work around the edges of the roster. From a player standpoint, here's an update on Buffalo's moves from over the last week. In: Michael Kesselring, Josh Doan, Conor Timmins, Alex Lyon, Justin Danforth Out: JJ Peterka, Connor Clifton, Sam Lafferty, Jacob Bernard-Docker, James Reimer Here's a rundown of what Adams got accomplished on July 1 and what work is left to be done. Shortly after 5 p.m., Buffalo signed center Ryan McLeod to a four-year contract extension worth $5 million per year, the team announced Tuesday. He was a restricted free agent. McLeod had a career year with 20 goals and 53 points last season playing a middle-six role for the Sabres. He came to Buffalo last summer as part of a trade that sent 2022 first-round pick Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers. McLeod's speed and defensive acumen made him a valuable player for the Sabres last season. He turns 26 in September, so this deal should theoretically lock him up for a good chunk of his prime. AFP Analytics projected McLeod's contract to have a $4.8 million cap hit, so this deal falls right in line with that. Given McLeod's age and the rising cap, this deal doesn't carry a ton of risk. The Sabres entered this offseason needing some veteran depth in net, and they got it by signing goalie Alex Lyon to a two-year contract worth $1.5 million per season. Advertisement Lyon, who turns 33 in December, played the last two seasons for the Detroit Red Wings. He started 26 games last season with a 2.81 goals-against average and a save percentage of .896. The year before, he had a goals-against average of 3.05 and a save percentage of .904 across 43 starts for Detroit. But Lyon really made a name for himself at the end of the 2022-23 season when he helped the Florida Panthers get to the playoffs while filling in for Sergei Bobrovsky at the end of the season. Sabres fans remember him as the goalie who stopped 39 of 40 shots in a 2-1 win against the Sabres during Buffalo's push for the postseason. The game ended up being a decisive one as the Sabres finished one point behind the Panthers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers, who are now back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, went on to make their first of three straight appearances in the Stanley Cup Final that season. The Sabres, meanwhile, have extended their playoff drought to 14 seasons. The addition of Lyon gives the Sabres the option of keeping Devon Levi in Rochester for another season. Levi, 23, played nine NHL games last season but spent the bulk of his year in the AHL. He's now played 68 AHL games over the last two seasons and is getting closer to breaking into the NHL full-time. But the Sabres need a veteran insurance plan. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has started more than 50 games for the Sabres in each of the last two seasons, has four years left on a contract that pays him $4.75 million annually. After a breakout season in 2023-24, Luukkonen took a step back last season with a 3.20 goals-against average and .887 save percentage. He often ceded the crease to veteran James Reimer toward the end of the season. While Adams has expressed that he thinks better team defense will help his goaltender improve, the Sabres also had a need for a veteran backup. Lyon fits that role well. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the Sabres signed forward Justin Danforth to a two-year contract worth $1.8 million per year. Danforth played 61 games for the Blue Jackets, splitting time at center and right wing. He had nine goals and 12 assists last season after setting career highs with 10 goals and 16 assists the year before. He brings some versatility to Buffalo's bottom six and has the speed and forechecking ability to carve out a consistent role with the Sabres. After trading away Lafferty, Danforth should be an upgrade. According to forechecking data from All Three Zones, Danforth was among the league leaders in recovered dump-ins per 60. Along with the addition of Josh Doan, the Sabres seemed to put an emphasis on strong forecheckers when it comes to their forward additions. Advertisement Just before the start of free agency, the Sabres traded winger Sam Lafferty to the Blackhawks for a 2026 sixth-round pick. The Sabres signed Lafferty to a two-year contract worth $2 million per year in free agency last summer. Due to injuries and inconsistent play, Lafferty played 60 games last season and had seven points playing a fourth-line role. He was brought in to be a bottom-six energy player who would provide some speed and physicality. But the Sabres didn't see the best version of Lafferty until late in the season. Lafferty didn't have an obvious role on the team moving forward. The Sabres are also running short on roster spots. So getting rid of Lafferty and his $2 million cap hit for a draft pick made a lot of sense. Last summer, Adams signed Lafferty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel and traded for Beck Malenstyn with the goal of building a strong fourth line. Only Malenstyn is left from that group. When the Sabres announced their qualifying offers for restricted free agents on Monday, Jacob Bernard-Docker was a notable and surprising omission. Bernard-Docker came to Buffalo in March along with Josh Norris as part of the trade that sent Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick to the Ottawa Senators. In 15 games, Bernard-Docker had four points and was a plus-three. The Sabres had 52 percent of the expected goals when he was on the ice at five-on-five and outscored opponents 10-8. He wasn't flashy or spectacular, but he was a serviceable right-handed depth defenseman. Bernard-Docker, a 2019 first-round pick, just turned 25 and his qualifying offer would have been $866,250 for the 2025-26 season. At the very least, Bernard-Docker would have been useful depth or a trade asset. At the end of the season, Adams singled out Bernard-Docker as someone who played well with Owen Power. Now he let him walk away for nothing. Bernard-Docker signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings worth $875,000. The Sabres added right-handed defensemen Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins last week, so Bernard-Docker was going to be a seventh defensemen or rotational player. But a few things make this situation more confusing. One is that Timmins was traded at the deadline along with forward Connor Dewar for a fifth-round pick. The Sabres traded a second-round pick and Connor Clifton for Timmons and prospect Isaac Belliveau a few months later. If Timmins was a player they liked, he was available for cheap at the deadline while Toronto was trying to clear salary. The other odd component of this is that the Sabres signed Jacob Bryson to a one-year contract extension worth $900,000 late in the season. Bryson, an undersized left-shot, cost around the same as Bernard-Docker and has a less obvious role with the team. As minor as this move may seem, I don't follow the logic. The Sabres added depth forward Mason Geertsen on a two-way contract. More than likely, he'll play in Rochester. He led the Henderson Silver Knights in penalty minutes and showed a willingness and ability to fight. At the very least, he'll add some toughness and character to Rochester's locker room. Maybe he'll be in an injury call-up if the Sabres need some toughness. Buffalo also got some housekeeping done with restricted free agents Tyson Kozak and Ryan Johnson. Kozak and Johnson signed identical three-year contract extensions that have an annual cap hit of $775,000. Both contracts are two-way deals in the first year and one-way deals in the second and third years. Those are reasonable bets on two players who should have a chance to crack Buffalo's roster in the not-too-distant future. Advertisement According to PuckPedia, the Sabres have $13.7 million in salary cap space after signing McLeod. That is accounting for Lyon, Danforth and McLeod's new deal. The Sabres still have a few restricted free agents to handle. Byram is the most notable. His next contract could eat up between $5 million and $6 million of that cap space if he signs a short-term deal to stay. But he's also consistently been involved in trade rumors, so there's a chance he's playing elsewhere, whether it's via a trade or an offer sheet. Timmins also needs a new contract, but that should only cost between $2 million and $3 million. Levi is a restricted free agent, too, but the signing of Lyon makes it so that he could end up in the AHL. Regardless of what happens with those restricted free agents, the Sabres still have enough money to make more moves. But the free-agent market is getting picked over, and the Sabres' roster is at 21 players. It seems the most likely avenue for improving their roster could come via trade. The Sabres still haven't replaced the scoring they lost by trading Peterka. And the unresolved situation with Byram is a major question mark hanging over the rest of the offseason. (Photo of Alex Lyon: Rick Osentoski / USA Today)
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Sabres depth chart: Where Buffalo's cap space, lines stand ahead of free agency
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres look a lot different than they did 12 months ago. At the trade deadline, general manager Kevyn Adams dealt Dylan Cozens. And before the start of the 2025 NHL Draft, he traded JJ Peterka. Two pieces of what looked like Buffalo's core a year ago are now playing elsewhere. And Adams may not be done turning over key pieces of this roster. Bowen Byram's situation is still unsettled, and Adams said he's open to a trade. The Sabres also added Conor Timmins in a trade that sent Connor Clifton and a second-round pick to the Penguins, so the right side of the depth chart on defense could look entirely different than it did at the start of last season. Advertisement Here's a look at Buffalo's depth chart, cap space and team needs entering free agency. Salary cap picture: The Sabres currently have just under $21 million in cap space with 18 players under contract, according to Puckpedia. Byram, Timmins, Ryan McLeod, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Devon Levi and Tyson Kozak are the remaining restricted free agents. The money freed up from the Peterka trade should give Adams flexibility heading into free agency. McLeod's cap hit on a new contract could be between $4.5 million and $5 million. Byram could be between $5 million and $6 million even on a short-term deal, and that cap hit would be even higher on a long-term deal. Timmins and Bernard-Docker should account for roughly $5 million of that space combined. Levi and Kozak aren't locks to be on the NHL roster, but their cap hits should be a combined $2.5-$3 million. Signing Byram isn't a guarantee, either, because the Sabres have been exploring the trade market for him. Using contract projections from AFP Analytics, they would have between $3 million and $5 million in space if they signed all of these players and between $8 million and $10 million if they traded Byram away. Sam Lafferty's $2 million contract is another one they could try to get rid of if they need more space. If Josh Doan is strictly a right winger, it seems like he'll be capped as a third-line player as long as Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch are healthy. That's a fine spot for him. The Sabres could put McLeod between Doan and Jordan Greenway for a useful shutdown line or give Jack Quinn the opportunity to add some scoring pop to that group. Doan feels like a bit of a wild card. Depending on how well he develops, he could become a top-six player at some point. He's already arguably the strongest forechecker on Buffalo's roster. He just needs to find a scoring touch, something he's been focused on during offseason training. Quinn signed a two-year extension worth $3.375 million per season, but he is still a funky fit in this lineup. Do the Sabres take the risk of playing him in the top six again? That would push either Zach Benson or Jason Zucker to the third line, where both have shown fine chemistry with McLeod. But Quinn would need to earn this spot in the lineup. His skating looked off last season and he had a dreadful scoring slump in the first few months of the season. Advertisement Thompson's move to the wing was beneficial for his production, but it made the Sabres' future at center murkier. Josh Norris needs to prove that he can stay healthy and handle the responsibility of being a No. 1 center for an entire 82-game season. Jiri Kulich, who just turned 21, had an excellent rookie season. He's better at center than he is on the wing and has proven capable of handling the defensive responsibilities of the position. But entrusting a 21-year-old with a top-six center job is a big ask. McLeod was a major success in his first season in Buffalo as a lockdown third-line center with some offensive pop. He's also strong on the penalty kill. There are just more question marks with this center group than there were a few years ago, when Thompson, Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt were the top three centers on the depth chart. It still feels like the Sabres need a top-six center, but a lot of teams have that same problem and there aren't many on the market. Can Adams add to this group? Benson showed some promising results playing with Thompson at the end of the season. His skill set as a top-end forechecker who wins puck battles and can make plays, complements the scoring threats of Norris and Thompson. Jason Zucker and Tuch paired well together when they were on the same line last season, too. But another winger capable of playing on the left side in the top six would really help the Sabres. They have to find a way to replace some of the 27 goals they're losing by trading Peterka. Pittsburgh winger Bryan Rust is still a logical trade target, and his no-trade protection expires on July 1. With the Peterka trade done, attention has turned to Byram, who is also a restricted free agent and has been in trade rumors since the season ended. While he may be looking to play somewhere where he can get more power-play time, Byram is a professional and well-liked in the dressing room. Playing a top-pair role should be enough to keep him happy if he stays in Buffalo. Keeping Byram would give the Sabres a strong top four on defense and a much deeper blue line than they had last season. Being able to shelter Mattias Samuelsson in a third-pair role and have more competition for his minutes is a better situation than the Sabres had last season. There is also a better balance between the left and right-handed shots on this depth chart. While Adams recently shot down the idea that the Sabres would consider buying out Samuelsson, that doesn't prevent the Sabres from trading him if someone is interested in taking on that contract. If the Sabres trade Byram, they would need to go shopping for another defenseman via trade or free agency. Owen Power and Michael Kesselring look like an ideal tandem on the second pair. Dahlin has the ability to carry a pair, so they could find his partner in free agency if Byram is dealt. Putting Samuelsson back on the top pair with Dahlin would not be an ideal outcome. And Timmins and Bernard-Docker would be too high in the lineup as top-pair guys. The depth chart is better off with Byram in place. If he moves, that creates some extra work for Adams. Advertisement This week, Adams said Devon Levi's NHL timeline is up to him. But he also said he'd be comfortable going into the season with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Levi as the team's goalie tandem. That feels risky considering Luukkonen is coming off a down year, and Levi is still unproven. This is a spot where it would make sense to add a free agent like they did with James Reimer last season. Adams has more work to do in order to make this a playoff team. His stated goal this offseason has been to make the Sabres a better defensive team and one that is more competitive and harder to play against. Those are worthwhile goals given how easily this team has been pushed around the last couple of seasons. But removing Peterka and his production from the lineup without adding any proven scoring is a bit of a risk. While I wouldn't expect the Sabres to be major players at the top of free agency, finding another signing like the Zucker one from last summer would help round out this lineup. Given their lack of roster space, trades seem like the more likely avenue than free agency for major moves.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
What's every NHL team's toughest decision during 2025 free agency?
The 2025 NHL Draft is over, and we are just two days away from the start of free agency. Before the free-agent frenzy begins on July 1, The Athletic asked its NHL staff to identify the toughest decision for all 32 teams. Here is what they said. General manager Pat Verbeek has $38 million of cap space burning in his pocket. Large chunks figure to go toward re-signing Mason McTavish and Lukáš Dostál, but there is enough to land a talent such as Marner. Until they become a playoff team and contender, the Ducks may have to overpay to entice a top-shelf free agent to Anaheim. Are they willing to spend $14 million AAV to grab a 100-point player? — Eric Stephens Advertisement Mitch Marner would check multiple boxes. But even if Marner becomes available, the cost would eat up too much of the Bruins' free cash. Their more efficient avenue would be to chase several less expensive alternatives. — Fluto Shinzawa Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said he's open to trading defenseman Bowen Byram, who is a restricted free agent after setting a career high in points. But if the trade market isn't there, the Sabres will look to sign him. He's a big piece of their blue line and could net a decent return. So this feels like the most impactful decision Adams has to make. — Matthew Fairburn Rasmus Andersson isn't a free agent this year, but he is Calgary's biggest trade chip available. And depending on how teams look at the free-agent class of available defensemen, maybe teams take that as an opportunity to make a run at Andersson via trade. — Julian McKenzie This year's free-agent class isn't great. So while the Hurricanes are loaded with cap space, it may be wise to wait for several big names to potentially hit the market next summer, or become available during the 2025-26 season due to their impending free agency. Exploring the trade market, either this offseason or later, might be Carolina's best play. — Cory Lavalette The Blackhawks will have more cap space than almost any team entering free agency. They could probably sign a few players by simply being the highest bidder. The Blackhawks won't do that, though. They're mindful of the future contracts they have ahead for Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and so on. But maybe there's a happy medium for the Blackhawks where they can still explore free agency. We'll see. — Scott Powers Advertisement Colorado has $9 million in cap space to work with after trading Charlie Coyle to Columbus, leaving an interesting decision when free agency opens. The Avs have space to add a top player if they choose — via signing or a trade — but that would leave little to fill out the lineup. The other option is spreading that money across several solid depth forwards to strengthen the bottom six. — Jesse Granger The Blue Jackets have two prominent UFA defensemen in Ivan Provorov and Dante Fabbro. Talks have gone better with Fabbro than Provorov, but neither has signed, giving GM Don Waddell a bit of stress heading into July 1. He'd like to reshape his defense — they were in on Noah Dobson — but signing Provorov and Fabbro doesn't represent a change. And letting them walk is a huge risk if he can't replace them. — Aaron Portzline What to do with Jason Robertson The Stars have already made tough decisions on keeping Matt Duchene and jettisoning Mason Marchment. But if they want to make a run at Mitch Marner or another free agent, they might have to move 25-year-old star Jason Robertson to do it. It's still a long shot to happen, but Robertson is due a massive raise next summer, so it's not out of the realm of possibility. — Mark Lazerus Detroit has lingered outside the playoffs for long enough now that it's not exactly a destination. That may take the team out of the running for some top names. At that point, Steve Yzerman has to decide where the line is to just walk away. That's much easier said than done for a team that wants to improve, but the Red Wings have been burned on overpayments to middle-of-the-lineup players in recent years. — Max Bultman The Oilers have retained Trent Frederic on an eight-year contract, leaving them with five forwards eligible for unrestricted free agency. Jeff Skinner and Derek Ryan won't return, but Connor Brown, Corey Perry and Kasperi Kapanen were all useful contributors on cheap contracts this past season. GM Stan Bowman wants to change the forward mix. Can he accomplish that if he brings them all back? — Daniel Nugent-Bowman Advertisement Aaron Ekblad is a lifelong Panther, after being taken first overall in 2014, during the bad old days for the franchise. He's been a big part of back-to-back Cups, but with his body battered and cap space tight, can Florida compromise and find a deal to extend him? Or does he cash in on the open market, where a lot of teams are ready to pounce with huge offers? — James Mirtle The Kings want to re-sign their shutdown ace. Vladislav Gavrikov found a home with Los Angeles, but wants to get paid. It feels like a tough decision, but maybe it isn't so much if they determine that an AAV approaching $8 million in worth spending on a 29-year-old for eight years. GM Ken Holland has already alluded to the need to pivot and address the blue line if he and Gavrikov can't meet on an extension. — Eric Stephens The Wild want to add some scoring punch to the top six, and hometown guy Brock Boeser is sitting there waiting to be plucked. The Wild have shown interest in him on the trade market many times, but with only $17.7 million in cap space and the desire not to tie up too much term when they want to pursue stars in the future, they may only have interest in Boeser if the term is three or four years. — Michael Russo Dvorak was the Canadiens' top faceoff guy and played on their second penalty-killing unit. He just had by far his best season in four years in a Canadiens uniform. His departure as an unrestricted free agent would leave a big hole, but the lack of centers available on the market probably means Dvorak could make more elsewhere than the Canadiens would be willing to offer to keep him off the market. — Arpon Basu GM Barry Trotz's public comments suggest he believes the Preds can pull off a massive reversal and be competitive next season, and there's really no other way to feel — not after last summer's spending spree, including the eight-year extension for Juuse Saros that kicks in this season. But can he add instant help while avoiding more players in their mid-30s? Aaron Ekblad is a worthy target in this regard. — Joe Rexrode Mercer could be a trade candidate if the Devils want to open up more cap space. He has two years left on his deal at a $4 million average annual value. Mercer has proven himself as an NHL regular and one of the most durable players in the league, but he has yet to replicate his 56-point 2022-23 campaign. — Peter Baugh The Islanders likely already made their toughest decision of the summer by making the bold move to trade Noah Dobson to the Canadiens. With three first-rounders in 2025, there's clearly an eye on the future. Now management has to decide the direction of the rest of the roster in the near future — how many other mainstays will get subtracted this summer, and just how much should the roster get torn down? — Shayna Goldman Advertisement K'Andre Miller's name has been in trade speculation. New York has to decide whether to pay him as a restricted free agent or move on. If the team signs someone such as Vladislav Gavrikov in unrestricted free agency, it likely won't have room to pay both top RFAs, Will Cuylle and Miller. — Peter Baugh The Senators say they're waiting on Claude Giroux to respond to their latest contract offer. Depending on whatever number they re-sign him to, if he comes back, that will greatly affect the amount of money left for them to spend in free agency. As of now, the Sens have $9.25 million according to PuckPedia. Though it could be up to $10 million, depending on which players they have on their active roster. — Julian McKenzie Even after acquiring Trevor Zegras (and making it clear they're going to give him a chance to play center again), finding another pivot is still on their agenda. They also need another goalie, which, in this year's market, might not be easy. At the same time, the Flyers want to be careful not to eat too much into their cap space for 2026, when they will be prepared to spend big again. — Kevin Kurz It must be tempting to spend money this summer for Kyle Dubas. He has cap room. But now really isn't the time to get aggressive as the Penguins wait for their prospects to marinate. — Josh Yohe No team has more cap room than the Sharks, and they're up to $44 million available after the buyout of Marc-Edouard Vlasic. But with the rebuild firmly on, GM Mike Grier has signaled that he won't blow all of that to fast-track their improvement. While it's more likely they'll hand out four-year deals or shorter than a max-term contract, they could target someone such as Bowen Byram in a trade. — Eric Stephens Seattle spent big on July 1 last year, breaking the bank for Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour in the free-agent frenzy. Montour was a great fit, but the pricey additions didn't move the needle enough. Seattle fired head coach Dan Bylsma after just one season and changed GMs following this campaign. Will the Kraken be willing to be big spenders again this summer? — Thomas Drance They really don't have a difficult decision because their only UFAs are Radek Faksa and Ryan Suter, and while they want Faksa back, they won't lose any sleep. If they do have a tough decision to make, it's not overpaying a middle-six center in a pricey free-agent market. They might've been forced to decide whether to match an offer sheet to pending RFA goalie Joel Hofer, but that's not a concern anymore after he signed a two-year, $6.8 million extension Saturday. — Jeremy Rutherford Advertisement If the Lightning want to go bigger than their current financial situation, management has to once again make the tough decision to cut salary. It's a pretty familiar position for Julien BriseBois, but it's not easy. One contract to look at is Erik Cernak's; if management can find a cheaper replacement for the second pair this year (such as Rasmus Andersson). — Shayna Goldman Brad Marchand is a good fit for the Leafs in a variety of ways. The problem is going to be the contract he'll demand as an in-demand free agent who will be 38 when the next postseason rolls. The Leafs probably won't love the price ($8 million? $9 million?) or term (four years?), but may decide the fit makes Marchand worth the risk. — Jonas Siegel GM Bill Armstrong didn't have an update when reporters asked about the status of goaltender Connor Ingram, who entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in March. Will the Mammoth enter the bidding competition in a thin, potentially expensive goaltending market? Or will they wait until closer to camp to examine options once they have more clarity on Ingram? — Harman Dayal Having struck out on trading for an NHL center using their 2025 first-round pick, will the Canucks circle back to pending unrestricted free agent Pius Suter and cave to his camp's contractual demands? Now that just about every notable unrestricted free-agent center has signed with their original team, forgoing the open market, Suter's marketability is at its absolute apex. Will Vancouver go there? — Thomas Drance Vegas has committed a lot of money to the blue line with Alex Pietrangelo, Brayden McNabb and Zach Whitecloud under contract for two to three more years, and Noah Hanifin, Shea Theodore signed through 2032. Hague has been a key cog in one of the best defensive groups in the NHL over the last six years, but cap space is tight. Does Vegas sign him, trade him or could he be an offer-sheet candidate? — Jesse Granger Last summer will be a tough act to follow for Washington. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Logan Thompson and Jakob Chychrun — all were high-profile additions, and all performed quite well. The end result was the best record in the East. This time around, outside of third-line center, there are no glaring holes. The Caps could use another game-breaker up front, though. Is it worth messing with success? — Sean Gentille Winnipeg could look to approach out-of-market UFAs such as Brock Boeser, Andrew Mangiapane and more in search of Nikolaj Ehlers' replacement. The Jets are an older team with stars Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck and Josh Morrissey all over the age of 30. Is that urgency really worth paying UFA prices, plus Winnipeg tax, with the cap going up? — Murat Ates (Top photos of Vladislav Gavrikov and Bowen Byram: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images and David Kirouac / Imagn Images)
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Sabres post-draft thoughts: Conor Timmins trade, the latest on Bowen Byram and more
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The 2025 NHL Draft will likely end up as a footnote in this Buffalo Sabres offseason. This summer is one in which general manager Kevyn Adams and coach Lindy Ruff are feeling legitimate pressure entering the final season of their contracts. The playoff drought continues to weigh on this team, and the fan base is restless. So while the Sabres added some interesting prospects this weekend, this offseason is all about the NHL roster. Advertisement This week was highlighted by Adams trading JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for defenseman Micahel Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. That was a massive trade that will end up defining Buffalo's season and Adams' tenure in some ways. Adams continued to tinker with the roster this weekend, trading Connor Clifton and a second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Conor Timmins and a prospect. But what stands out coming out of this weekend is just how much is left to get done. The Sabres have six restricted free agents, including the newly acquired Timmins. Bowen Byram's situation is still unsettled. And the Sabres have roughly $20 million in salary cap space. This offseason is far from over, with free agency opening on Tuesday and trade discussions still ongoing around the league. The Sabres got some of their biggest business done by trading Peterka, but there are still so many directions this offseason can go. Will they add another forward to the top six? Will they spend to the cap ceiling for the first time under Adams? And is another trade coming? At the beginning of the weekend, Adams insisted he had a plan. That plan is still incomplete. But here's what we learned during a busy draft weekend. We'll start with the Sabres' newest draft class: Round 1, pick 9: Radim Mrtka, RHD, Seattle (WHL), 6-foot-6, 218 pounds Round 3, Pick 71: David Bedkowski, RHD, Owen Sound (OHL) 6-5, 221 Round 4, Pick 103: Matous Kucharcik, C, Slavia Jr. (Czech Jr.), 6-4, 180 Round 4, Pick 116: Samuel Meloche, G, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL), 6-2, 190 Round 5, Pick 135: Noah Laberge, LHD, Acadie Bathurst (QMJHL), 6-0, 187 Round 6, Pick 167: Ashton Schultz, C, Chicago (USHL), 5-11, 180 Round 7, Pick 195: Melvin Novotny, F, Leksands IF (Sweden Jr.), 6-1, 185 Round 7, Pick 199: Yevgeni Prokhorov, G, Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL), 6-3, 183 Round 7, Pick 219: Ryan Racunski, F, Youngstown (USHL), 5-10, 176 Advertisement This draft class is going to come down to how the top two picks pan out. Radim Mrtka has a path to a top-four role, but it could take some runway for him to get there. Sabres assistant general manager Jerry Forton noted that Mrtka has some awkward moments skating since he's still growing into his body. But the Sabres saw dramatic improvement in his game throughout the season and are excited to see what he will do in his second season in North America. Buffalo's second pick, David Bedkowski, represents all of the qualities the Sabres have been talking about in recent weeks. He's a 6-5 right-handed defenseman with a major mean streak. He might be the most physical player in this draft class. But what was also clear in speaking with him after he got drafted is how mature Bedkowski is. The Sabres' pick of Bedkowski was announced by Greg Manzi, a local youth hockey player who suffered a devastating injury last season. Bedkowski mentioned how special that was when he briefly chatted with the Sabres' brass after the pick. Elite Prospects on Sabres' 3rd round pick David Bedkowski: 'Arguably the most violent player in the class, with the mobility, reach, defensive traits, and bloodlust to develop into a tremendous play killer.' They had him ranked 47th, he went 71st. — The Charging Buffalo (@TheChargingBUF) June 28, 2025 As for his game, Bedkowski, who fought five times last season, said, 'I'm a heart and soul guy, loyal to the soil. Just compete is the name of the game to me. Sacrificing, blocking shots, whatever it takes.' It's easy to envision playing in the NHL, even if his upside isn't that of Mrtka or other top defensemen in this class. He's also a player Sabres fans will have an easy time rooting for. I like that the Sabres took a couple of chances on goalies late in the draft. Late-round picks don't often turn into NHL players, but goalies have a better chance and can be valuable commodities if you hit on one. The Sabres are stocked with young goalies. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is still early in his NHL career. Devon Levi hasn't yet become a full-time NHL player. And recent draft picks Scott Ratzlaff and Topias Leiononen both got entry-level contracts. Advertisement Now, Buffalo can add fourth-round pick Samuel Meloche and seventh-round pick Yevgeni Prokhorov to the mix. Meloche had an excellent rookie season in the QMJHL, shouldering a big workload and carrying his team deep into the playoffs with a 2.01 goals against average in 13 playoff games. Prokhorov, a native of Belarus who played in the MHL last season, might be coming to North America to play junior hockey next season, according to Forton. He also finished his season strong with a 1.95 goals against average and a .943 save percentage in six playoff games. Timmins got the call that he'd been traded to the Sabres while he was at his parents' cottage, which is just across the lake from KeyBank Center. Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, he grew up going to Sabres games and was excited by the prospect of playing for Buffalo. Adams said he views Timmins, 26, as a third-pair defenseman right now. The Sabres acquired Timmins and prospect Isaac Belliveau from the Penguins for Connor Clifton and the No. 39 overall pick in the draft. Timmins is a restricted free agent, so it remains to be seen how much the Sabres will save on Clifton's $3.33 million cap hit. Theoretically, Timmins shouldn't cost as much and should be an upgrade. He can also kill penalties. A second-round pick was a decent price to pay for this swap, but the Sabres don't have a dire need for more draft picks. Now let's see what they do with the small amount of cap flexibility from this deal. There is a clear difference between the way Adams has been speaking about defenseman Byram and the way he spoke about Peterka before he got traded. Adams was visibly annoyed by the Peterka line of questioning, likely stemming from his frustration with the player. With Byram, Adams has been honest but also somewhat even-keeled. He gets that Byram has two years before he hits unrestricted free agency and wants some clarity on what his role will look like and what the team will look like. 'What he knows is we like him, we believe in him, we think it makes the team better with him on,' Adams said. 'But if there's a trade to make that makes sense and we think it's the right thing to do, we'll do it.' The key piece here is that Adams trusts that if Byram sticks around, he'll be the same positive presence in the locker room he's always been. I'm not sure the Sabres felt the same way about Peterka. 'What I know about Bo Byram is if he's back, whether it's a one-year deal or two-year deal or eight-year deal, he's going to be all in and try to help us win. That's what I truly appreciate about Bo. We'll get to the right solution. It has to work for both sides. He understands how we feel about him, and he knows we're willing to do whatever we need to do to help our team get better. We've been very transparent both ways.' Advertisement Adams said he would be re-engaging with Byram's agent, Darren Ferris, on contract talks. He was also interrupted during his post-draft press conference by a call from another general manager, a reminder that one call can change the situation in a hurry. As it stands, Byram playing with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power playing with Michael Kesselring and Mattias Samuelsson playing with Timmins could be a solid depth chart on defense. (Top photo of Conor Timmins: Talia Sprague / Imagn Images)
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Sabres Turned Down Multiple Blockbuster Trade Offers for JJ Peterka: Report
Sabres Turned Down Multiple Blockbuster Trade Offers for JJ Peterka: Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Sabres shocked the NHL world on Wednesday night when they traded star forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for 23-year-old winger Josh Doan, Utah's No. 7 prospect according to The Athletic, and 25-year-old defenseman Michael Kesselring. Advertisement Peterka, who cored 27 goals and career-high 68 points last season, promptly signed a five-year contract extension with Utah that will pay him $7.7 million per season. On the surface, Buffalo's return was viewed as underwhelming by many analysts who expected the former second-round pick to bring back a more impressive trade package. But after reports started emerging on Thursday of deals the Sabres turned down, that sentiment started to grow. According to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, Sabres fans have every right to be upset with Buffalo's return for Peterka considering the other offers on the table that were turned down. Former Buffalo Sabres right wing JJ Peterka (77) carries the puck up ice during the second period against the Dallas Stars at KeyBank T. Ludwig-Imagn Images 'What really stands out to me is, there was just such a big market for JJ Peterka, there was all sorts of kinds of deals that (general manager) Kevyn Adams could've gotten his hands on,' Seravalli said. 'There was one team who offered two first-round picks plus two roster players. I think the St. Louis Blues had Jordan Kyrou on the table. Advertisement 'I think at one point in time, the New York Islanders were talking about Noah Dobson, and you smash all those things together and you go, 'Kesselring and Doan?' It's not getting anyone excited in Western New York, and I understand why when you have to give up on a guy that was a fan favorite.' Kyrou, 27, is coming off three straight 30-goal seasons, logging 70 or more points in two of them. He would've given Buffalo a high-scoring replacement for Peterka who could step right in and fill his roster spot in the top six seamlessly. Dobson would have been a big get for Buffalo as well. The 25-year-old defenseman is a perennial Norris Trophy candidate who's scored 39 or more points in each of the last four seasons and would have immediately became the Sabres' top defenseman. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
