The hectic NHL offseason of free agent signings and trades is starting to calm down, making it the perfect time to evaluate how each team has performed so far. Hockey News’ NHL Summer Splash Rankings now provide daily updates on which teams have made the most progress based on their acquisitions, losses, signings, and departures.
These rankings assess whether teams have improved, stayed the same, or declined, with exceptions made for star players and teams that have retained key talent, even if overall moves seem limited. The last team in this ranking fits into one of those exceptions—can you guess which?
The ranking begins with the No. 32 team, the Buffalo Sabres.
Additions include Josh Doan (RW), Justin Danforth (RW), Michael Kesseling (D), Connor Timmins (D), and Alex Lyon (G). The Sabres strengthened their defense by acquiring Kesseling (via the JJ Peterka trade) and Timmins (through the Conner Clifton trade). Kesseling has the potential to be a top-four defenseman, but neither defender is considered a game-changer. Young winger Josh Doan showed potential last season with seven goals and 19 points in 51 games split between the NHL and AHL, but he is seen as a depth addition similar to 32-year-old former Blue Jackets winger Justin Danforth. Lyon signed as a free agent to compete as a backup goalie behind starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, alongside young goalie Devon Levi.
Departures include JJ Peterka (RW), Sam Lafferty (C), Connor Clifton (D), Jacob Bernard-Docker (D), and James Reimer (G). Peterka was traded to the Utah Mammoth and quickly signed a five-year deal worth $7.7 million annually, a contract Buffalo was either unwilling or unable to match. Lafferty was traded to Chicago, Clifton to Pittsburgh, Bernard-Docker signed as a free agent with Detroit, and veteran goalie Reimer remains unsigned.
In conclusion, the Sabres’ offseason moves were underwhelming. While they lost a high-scoring Peterka, they used his cap space mainly to re-sign young defender Bowen Byram. The defense now has better depth, but the team’s offense took a hit. This is concerning in a competitive Atlantic division where Buffalo ranked 10th in goals last season, with Peterka as their second-leading scorer at 68 points.
The Sabres have $7.39 million in cap space, but much of that will likely go to re-signing restricted free agents Levi and Timmins. Overall, the team has not improved and seems to be slipping backward despite big plans. Fans know the team’s playoff drought has lasted 14 years. After coming close in 2022-23 with 91 points, the Sabres fell to 84 and 79 points the past two seasons. Patience is wearing thin.
If Buffalo misses the playoffs again in 2025-26, extending the drought to 15 years, a major front-office overhaul will be necessary to build a truly competitive team. The Sabres haven’t done enough this summer to challenge top Atlantic contenders like Florida, Toronto, or Tampa Bay. Their lack of progress likely means another disappointing season, earning them the last spot in the NHL Summer Splash Rankings.
Fan Take: For hockey fans, the Sabres’ offseason serves as a reminder of how difficult it is to rebuild a struggling team in a fiercely competitive division. This stagnation could alter the balance of power in the Atlantic and makes Buffalo a cautionary tale about the importance of timely, impactful moves in pro sports.
