Ranking Sabres Offseason Moves

The 2024 offseason has been busy for Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams, with draft day trades, the Jeff Skinner buyout, numerous signings, and one more trade for good measure. Add in the standard draft picks and re-signings, and you must applaud Adams and the hockey operations staff for the effort. There still may be one glaring hole in the top-six forward group, but arguably only one player capable of filling that spot was traded, Reilly Smith.

Instead of evaluating these moves independently, let’s organize them into categories – re-signings, buyouts, draft picks, trades, and free-agent signings. Adams and his staff have achieved these buckets to varying degrees of success, allowing us to rank them from five to one.

5. Jeff Skinner Buyout

When looking at all the moves the Sabres made this offseason, the head-scratcher is still the buyout of Jeff Skinner. In a vacuum, the move made sense. There were concerns surrounding the dropoff of his play last season and his fit under new head coach Lindy Ruff.

The baffling part is that the Sabres have hindered their cap situation for the next six seasons without even tapping into the savings in 2024-2025. Another move could occur in the ensuing month, or even in-season, but Buffalo has over $8 million in cap space that as of right now will be untouched.

Must Read: Top 3 Candidates to Replace Skinner on Sabres Powerplay

4. Free Agent Signings

It’s hard to knock the Sabres for their free-agent signings, considering they revamped the bottom-six forward group as needed. Jason Zucker is more of a third-line player than a second-line contributor at this point in his career, and he is the biggest signing. Sam Lafferty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel form two-thirds of Buffalo’s fast, hard-hitting fourth line, which should drive opponents nuts.

Dennis Gilbert and Jack Rathbone bring NHL experience and organizational depth. Technically Jacob Bryson is an unrestricted free agent signing in the same mold after not being tendered a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent.

James Reimer is a quality goaltender and a good signing as well to pad the organization’s depth, but there’s not one move that stands out as a big difference-maker.

More on Depth: Don’t Forget About Sabres Second Year Defenseman

3. Offseason Re-Signings

The Sabres did a great job retaining their restricted free agents, with only Peyton Krebs lingering without a contract. Inking starting goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a five-year deal worth $4.75 million annually puts Buffalo in good shape in net going forward. Henri Jokiharju also returned at a decent value, taking a one-year bridge deal worth $3.1 million.

More Sabres: How Peterka, Thompson, Tuch Compare to Other NHL Top Lines

2. Sabres Trades

Besides the Skinner buyout, nothing was as controversial as the trades the Buffalo Sabres made this offseason. Being controversial for the franchise’s long-term health doesn’t mean that that won’t help the Sabres immediately though.

Adams started the wheeling and dealing by moving three spots down in the draft, acquiring an extra second-round pick in the process. The first trade involving a player was the swap of one of Buffalo’s two second-round picks for Beck Malenstyn. The value of a second-rounder versus the value of a fourth-line winger brought some debate, but ultimately knowing what you’re getting and filling a need won out.

Ryan McLeod was later acquired from the Edmonton Oilers, along with prospect Tyler Tullio, for top Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie. Many Sabres fans had high hopes for Savoie and were initially distraught by the news. A deeper dive into the underlying metrics of McLeod’s game, however, suggests that the Sabres may have found a diamond in the rough as their new third-line center.

Related: Evaluating Newest Sabres Forward Ryan McLeod

1. Sabres Draft

You never know how good a draft class is until you give them time to develop, but the early returns of Buffalo’s 2024 NHL Draft selections look promising. Konsta Helenius fell to them at pick 14, and the Sabres are prepared to bring him over to North America immediately. Helenius will have a chance to make Buffalo’s opening night roster, with the fallback option of developing in the AHL.

Second-round defenseman Adam Kleber was poised and strong at Sabres Development Camp, and third-round selection Brodie Ziemer already looks like the steal of the draft. If the Sabres have nailed their top three picks as it appears and get something out of the remaining group of draftees, then the draft could have the biggest effect on shifting the course of the Buffalo Sabres.

More Prospects: Who May Be on Sabres Prospects Challenge Roster