Sabres to Pass on Two Forwards After Missing Out on Patrick Kane
· Yahoo Sports
The Buffalo Sabres may stand pat after missing out on top free agent target Patrick Kane. It was previously revealed that the Future Hall of Famer was choosing between joining Buffalo or the Chicago Blackhawks. Ultimately, the veteran forward opted to re-sign with the Blackhawks after previously playing 15 1/2 seasons in the Windy City.
Kane’s final decision stings the Sabres. Nevertheless, the details of his contract with Chicago likely ease Buffalo’s pain of missing out on the hometown star. The 37-year-old winger agreed to join the Blackhawks on a two-year, $16 million ($8 million AAV) contract. The term is certainly eyebrow-raising. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston previously predicted that Kane would earn a one-year, $3.3 million deal this summer.
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Although Buffalo failed to land Kane, general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen is not expected to just throw money at another free agent forward. In fact, The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn is claiming that the Buffalo Sabres could stick with their current roster for now. According to the reporter, Kekäläinen is unlikely to target fellow free agents Patrik Laine or Eeli Tolvanen. As Fairburn puts it, “the Sabres already have a lot of shooters.”
Vladimir Tarasenko, however, could still be a possibility for Buffalo. The veteran winger’s combination of scoring and playmaking would be enticing for the Sabres. He would essentially be a similar fit as Kane would have been. Fairburn, however, worries that Kane’s surprising deal in Chicago could make Tarasenko want similar money. If so, Buffalo and Kekäläinen would have to pass.
Buffalo Sabres Could Resist Free Agent Move After Patrick Kane Decision
GettyThe Buffalo Sabres must move on after missing out on Patrick Kane.
The Buffalo Sabres are coming off a positive 2025-26 season in which they ended their 14-year playoff drought. Not only did they qualify for the postseason, but Buffalo was also an offensive powerhouse. In fact, the Sabres scored 283 regular-season goals throughout the campaign. Only four other NHL teams managed to score more on the year.
Despite this, Buffalo lost a key offensive star in Alex Tuch this summer. The winger moved on to the Washington Capitals after failing to agree to a contract extension with the club. As of now, Kekäläinen has not directly replaced the 66-point forward. Kane would have obviously done this. Tarasenko still may, but if not, the Buffalo Sabres are seemingly prepared to enter the 2026-27 season with the current group.
“With the players we have right now, it’s going to be a heck of a battle in training camp, and there’s going to be some disappointed players that are probably NHL players but can’t fit on the 23-man roster,” Kekäläinen recently said of his current roster, as reported by The Athletic. “That creates another challenge, but I think it’s a good challenge and a great problem to have.”
Buffalo’s GM Could Keep Money Set Aside for Midseason Move
Money is not necessarily a major concern for the Buffalo Sabres at the moment. According to PuckPedia.com, the club has over $5 million in projected cap space with a full NHL roster. While this particular figure kept them out of the running for Kane, it still gives Buffalo a chance of signing a quality forward.
Nevertheless, Kekäläinen could very well opt to keep hold of these extra funds into the upcoming campaign. In this scenario, the exec would give his young forwards a chance early in the season, and then have money set aside just in case things do not work out. This may just be the best bet for the Sabres.
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