Which proven players should the Sabres add to bolster their bottom six? (2024)

This is the fourth story in a five-part series detailing questions facing the Sabres this summer.

Rehiring Lindy Ruff as coach was the first item on a long offseason to-do list for Buffalo Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, their starting goalie for much of the season, needs a new contract. Henri Jokiharju and Peyton Krebs are restricted free agents. Zemgus Girgensons headlines their list of unrestricted free agents who can sign elsewhere July 1.

The Sabres have $23.218 million to spend, according to CapFriendly.com, and one of Adams’ priorities is to use some of that money to change the bottom half of his depth chart at wing and center. Ruff will have a voice in the meetings to decide how Buffalo can improve its lineup.

“For sure, every decision, when you are talking about the roster, you are going to debate and Lindy’s going to have a big voice in that, because you need to be on the same page,” said Adams. “Absolutely, that’s a big part of it.”

Trading will always be the easier path for the Sabres to acquire proven talent. They have prospects and draft picks to exchange for upgrades to their third and fourth lines. Here’s a glimpse of the players who could fit in Buffalo’s bottom six:

Free agency

Teddy Blueger, center, Vancouver Canucks: The 29-year-old has won at least 50% of his faceoffs for three consecutive seasons and leads all Canucks forwards in shorthanded ice time during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Latvian is close friends and offseason training partners with Girgensons and knows Jason Karmanos from their time in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.

Evolving-Hockey.com projects Blueger to receive a two-year contract with a $1.8 million average annual value. One potential issue, however, is that Blueger is a fourth-line center, and the Sabres may prefer someone who can skate higher in the lineup in the event of an injury. He won the Stanley Cup with Vegas last season and would bring at least 37 games of playoff experience to Buffalo.

Jordan Martinook, winger, Carolina Hurricanes: A long shot to leave Carolina, Martinook has produced four seasons with at least 10 goals – including 14 in 2023-24 – and he can play up or down the lineup. He’d fit with how the Sabres want to play under Ruff and projects to receive a three-year contract with a $2.64 million average annual value. Martinook, who turns 32 in July, typically skated in a shutdown role next to Jordan Staal and Jesper Fast this season.

Yakov Trenin, winger, Colorado Avalanche: The 6-foot-2 power forward had only one goal and no assists in 10 playoff games before the Avalanche were eliminated by the Dallas Stars, but he has scored 41 goals over the past three regular seasons. to carve out a niche in the NHL. Trenin, 27, is projected to receive a four-year contract with a $3.356 million average annual value and showed earlier this season with Nashville that he can be an above-average penalty-killer.

William Carrier, winger, Vegas Golden Knights: The former Sabre has been an important checking-line winger for the Golden Knights since their expansion season in 2017-18. He scored a career-high 18 goals between the regular season and playoffs to help Vegas win the Stanley Cup last year, but injuries limited him to only 39 games in 2023-24. The 29-year-old is projected to receive a one-year, $1.265 million contract as an unrestricted free agent. He’s a big, physical winger who would add abrasiveness to Buffalo’s bottom six.

Sam Lafferty, winger, Vancouver Canucks: The 29-year-old isn’t strong enough in the faceoff dot to play center, but he can be an important source of secondary scoring on the fourth line. Lafferty, another former Penguins prospect from Karmanos’ days in Pittsburgh, has 25 goals over the past two regular seasons. He’s been used sparingly during the Canucks’ playoff run this spring.

Ryan Lomberg, winger, Florida Panthers: A 29-year-old energy winger who can fight, kill penalties and make life miserable on opponents with his physical play on the fourth line. He’s been a healthy scratch for most of the playoffs and saw his average ice time drop by almost two minutes this season. He’ll be a cheap depth option for a contender.

Nick Cousins, winger, Florida Panthers: The Sabres will have to get in line if Cousins reaches unrestricted free agency. The 30-year-old pest will be in demand after another eventful season in which he proved to be an invaluable, physical presence on the fourth line in Florida.

Dakota Joshua, winger, Vancouver Canucks: The 28-year-old’s next contract is projected to be a two-year pact worth $2.049 million per season but don’t be surprised if it’s higher. Joshua posted career-highs in goals (18), points (32) and average ice time (14:23) in 63 regular-season games. He’s been as effective in the playoffs with eight points in 12 games. Joshua is a 6-foot-3 power forward who can play in the top or bottom six, and he was teammates with Alex Tuch at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.

Tomas Tatar, winger, Seattle Kraken: The 33-year-old was an important depth forward for the New Jersey Devils when they earned their best regular-season finish in franchise history with Ruff as coach in 2022-23. Tatar had 20 goals and 48 points in the regular season, then struggled in the playoffs with only one goal in 12 games. He’s coming off one of his worst NHL campaigns but could be signed for as low as $1.174 million, according to Evolving-Hockey’s contract projections. Tatar has seven seasons of 20-plus goals, and he’s appeared in 52 playoff games since 2014.

Others to consider: Brandon Duhaime, winger, Colorado Avalanche; AJ Greer, winger, Calgary Flames; Tyler Motte, center, Tampa Bay Lightning; Christian Fischer, winger, Detroit Red Wings; and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, winger, Washington Capitals.

Trades

Boone Jenner, center, Columbus Blue Jackets: The 30-year-old has scored at least 20 goals and averaged at least 20 minutes of ice time in each of the past three seasons. He’d be among the top forwards available on the trade market if Columbus’ next GM decides to move Jenner with two years left on a contract that counts only $3.75 million against the salary cap, but he’s an ideal fit to center the Sabres’ second or third line. Jenner could shoulder the most difficult matchups, which would allow Ruff to use Dylan Cozens in situations that allow him to produce more offensively. Jenner is exceptional in the faceoff dot, and the type of playoff-tested leader that Buffalo should add to its dressing room. He has an eight-team no-trade list that will give him some power if Columbus decides to move on and get younger.

Scott Laughton, center, Philadelphia Flyers: The 29-year-old is arguably the best, realistic option to center the Sabres’ third line. Laughton has scored double-digit goals in six of the past seven seasons, and he’s typically strong in the faceoff dot. The issue, though, is Laughton is coming off a disappointing year under John Tortorella in Philadelphia. His average ice time per game dropped by nearly three minutes, and he wasn’t used as often in the defensive zone. Perhaps a change of scenery, and approach behind the bench, will help Laughton regain the form he showed the previous seasons. He has two years left on his contract, which counts $3 million against the salary cap.

Erik Haula, center, New Jersey Devils: The 33-year-old was among the Devils’ most trusted players while Ruff was their coach. Haula has won at least 54% of his faceoffs and averaged at least 16 minutes of ice time as their third-line center the past two seasons. He had a career-high 29 goals while teammates with Tuch during Vegas’ expansion season in 2017-18 when they made a surprising run to the Stanley Cup final. Haula has a full no-trade clause that gives him the power to approve or decline any move, but perhaps the connections with Ruff and Tuch would be enough to convince him to come to Buffalo. Haula has two years left on a contract that counts $3.15 million against the salary cap. The Finnish center would fit on and off the ice in Buffalo if the Devils decide to move him.

Brandon Tanev, winger, Seattle Kraken: The 32-year-old would bring speed, physicality, responsible defense and a skill set fit for the playoffs. Tanev has a 10-team no trade clause, but the Kraken likely will try to overhaul their roster after a disappointing season. The Toronto native has one year left on a contract that counts $3.25 million against the salary cap.

Nicolas Roy, center, Vegas Golden Knights: Roy has averaged 14 goals over the past three seasons while working primarily as Vegas’ fourth-line center. The 27-year-old has not won more than 50% of his faceoffs in any of his five seasons as an NHL regular, but he’s outstanding defensively and would help the Sabres’ penalty kill. An important member of the Golden Knights’ Cup-winning team, Roy has three years left on a contract that counts $3 million against the salary cap. They will need to clear space to sign some of their free agents.

Keegan Kolesar, winger, Vegas Golden Knights: Among the toughest fourth-line wingers in the NHL, Kolesar has fought at least five times in each of the past three regular seasons. He’s a Stanley Cup champion with eight goals in each of the past two years. The 6-foot-2 power forward is 27 years old and has one year left on a contract that costs only $1.14 million.

Radek Faksa, winger, Dallas Stars: It would be surprising if Faksa is moved this summer, but he’s a fast, effective winger who can play up or down in a lineup. The 30-year-old is outstanding defensively – Faksa finished seventh in voting for the Selke Trophy in 2017-18 – and played two seasons under Ruff in Dallas. Faksa has a five-team no-trade list and one year remaining on a contract that counts $3.25 million against the salary cap.

Lawson Crouse, winger, Utah: The 26-year-old is better suited for the top six with three consecutive seasons of 20 or more goals and back-to-back campaigns of at least 40 points. Adding a 6-foot-4 power forward to skate next to Tage Thompson or Cozens would allow Ruff to move an effective winger like Zach Benson, Jack Quinn or Jeff Skinner to the third line. Crouse also can be trusted to protect a lead, and he’s an effective net-front presence for the power play. His contract covers the next three seasons and costs $4.3 million against the salary cap.

Alex Iafallo, winger, Winnipeg Jets: The Eden native may not have the skill set that Buffalo is prioritizing for its bottom six, but he’s fast, versatile, responsible defensively and possesses playoff experience. The 30-year-old has experience skating on the top line – he averaged a career-high 19:53 of ice time with Los Angeles in 2020-21 – and he’s been moved to the bottom six, including during the Jets’ recent playoff appearance. Iafallo will cost $4 million against the salary cap next season, and he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2025. He’s scored double-digit goals in six consecutive seasons.

Others to consider: Mason Marchment, winger, Dallas Stars; Sean Kuraly, center, Columbus Blue Jackets; Garnet Hathaway, winger, Philadelphia Flyers; Nic Dowd, center, Washington Capitals; and Mathieu Joseph, winger, Ottawa Senators.