Sabres eye cheap forward market as cap limits loom

Buffalo has about $12 million in cap space to work with and can’t safely chase splashy names, so the focus of the 2026 free-agent class shifts to fits—especially forwards—hinging on what stays in the lineup and what doesn’t.

The summer planning starts with a simple number: roughly $12 million in cap space before making any moves. For the Buffalo Sabres, that figure is a ceiling—one that makes “big spender” off the table and turns free agency into a puzzle of value, roles, and replacement math.

The answer won’t be the same depending on who Buffalo expects to lose. If the Sabres are trying to replace Alex Tuch. the targets would look different than if Beck Malenstyn walks in free agency. Either way. the real work is figuring out which pending unrestricted free agents could slot into the roster they want—without draining the budget.

All contract projections in this free-agent shopping list are via AFP Analytics.

Bobby McMann could be one of the more appealing options on the market. The 30-year-old posted 78 GP with 29 goals and 46 points in 2025-26, along with 15:56 ATOI. The projected deal is 4 years and $5,304,000 AAV. McMann’s career-high 29 goals and 17 assists came after a breakthrough 20-goal season the year before. He’s described as one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and an effective forechecker. The fit in Buffalo isn’t built on being as dangerous off the rush as Tuch. but on finishing touch over the last few seasons. along with tenacity and speed that can match the Sabres’ needs.

Viktor Arvidsson adds a different kind of pressure near the net. At 33, he recorded 69 GP, 25 goals, and 54 points in 2025-26 with 14:36 ATOI. His projected contract is 2 years and $4,913,422 AAV. Arvidsson scored 25 goals for a second life that “turned back the clock. ” with the 20-goal threshold reached six times in his career. The question for Lindy Ruff and staff is whether that style can translate into Buffalo’s system. He’s labeled a hardworking forechecker who can create havoc at the net and has a talent for shooting. Buffalo’s first-round series against Boston also showed what that nuisance can look like—though the Sabres play a much different style than the Bruins.

Vladimir Tarasenko is another one-year possibility. The 34-year-old had 75 GP, 23 goals, and 47 points in 2025-26 with 14:56 ATOI. The projected contract is 1 year and $3,390,400 AAV. Tarasenko still has power-play value and added another 20-goal season last year while playing for the Wild. The hesitation is whether he gives enough away from the puck to justify minutes taken from some of Buffalo’s younger talent.

Patrik Laine is a buy-low candidate, but it comes with risk. He was eligible for an incentive-laden contract and carried a 2025-26 stat line of 5 GP, 0 goals, and 1 point with 12:36 ATOI. The projected contract is 1 year and $850,000 AAV. The appeal is straightforward: Laine is an excellent power-play producer. The history matters too—he has a connection to Jarmo Kekäläinen. who traded for him when he was general manager in Columbus. Still, the argument is that Buffalo probably doesn’t need a gamble.

Patrick Kane is the kind of name that can tug at a team even when the league moves on. The 37-year-old posted 67 GP, 16 goals, and 57 points in 2025-26 with 17:42 ATOI. The projected contract is 1 year and $3,265,600 AAV. Kane may not be what he once was. but there will always be a draw in the idea of a playmaking winger returning home. His value is tied to playoff experience and proven power-play production. Across the last three seasons, he totaled 63 power-play points in 189 games for the Red Wings. For a Sabres power play that has struggled. the pitch is that Kane could provide a major boost at a relatively affordable cost.

Andrei Kuzmenko is another option with power-play promise, though consistency is the trade-off. In 2025-26, the 30-year-old had 52 GP, 13 goals, and 25 points with 14:55 ATOI. His projected contract is 2 years and $4,006,400 AAV. The storyline is familiar: he has not fully recaptured the form from his first NHL season. but he’s described as really good around the net and able to play with pace. The risk is that the inconsistency he’s shown before could be expensive for a team trying to build certainty.

Oliver Björkstrand is valued as a more steady middle-six type—if the timing and production line up. The 31-year-old posted 80 GP, 12 goals, and 32 points in 2025-26 with 13:38 ATOI. The projected contract is 2 years and $2,834,742 AAV. As a Columbus-linked name from Kekäläinen’s past in the organization. he also has a clear history inside that staff’s decision-making. His production dropped off with the Lightning last season. but he’s not that far removed from a 20-goal. 59-point season with the Kraken in 2023-24. At his age, the question is whether a bounce-back is realistic. Even with that uncertainty. he’s described as a strong forechecker who can be counted on in a middle-six role and shouldn’t cost a ton.

Jaden Schwartz offers two-way disruption with an obvious question mark around availability. In 2025-26, the 33-year-old had 50 GP, 11 goals, and 26 points with 16:08 ATOI. The projected contract is 2 years and $4,756,960 AAV. The concern isn’t vague—Schwartz has missed 53 games over the last three seasons. When healthy. he’s described as a strong two-way winger who can disrupt games on the forecheck. with the ability to score off the rush as well. Buffalo would also gain a locker-room note from his role in the Blues’ Stanley Cup run in 2019. and the idea is that his style could offer a discount version of Tuch.

Scott Laughton brings a practical need for faceoffs and structure. The 32-year-old posted 64 GP, 13 goals, and 20 points in 2025-26 with 14:21 ATOI. The projected contract is 3 years and $4,108,000 AAV. The Sabres were the worst faceoff team in the NHL this season. Laughton won 59 percent of his faceoffs after he was acquired by the Los Angeles Kings. Pair that with his tenacious playing style and positive presence in the locker room. and he becomes an interesting target for a roster that needs dependable work in the margins.

Mason Marchment could address the physical front Buffalo might still want. The 31-year-old logged 68 GP, 19 goals, and 45 points in 2025-26 with 17:22 ATOI. The projected contract is 3 years and $5,670,600 AAV. He plays a physical game. but the pitch here is that he can also make plays in front of the net. Marchment has produced 45 or more points in three straight seasons. and he had 32 points in 39 games after the Blue Jackets acquired him last season.

Boone Jenner is an easy name on these lists for a reason: the fit in experience and faceoffs is already mapped. The 33-year-old had 67 GP, 13 goals, and 38 points in 2025-26 with 16:05 ATOI. The projected contract is 3 years and $5,209,100 AAV. Jenner has been a longtime favorite of Kekäläinen. and he would bring veteran leadership. a hard-nosed playing style. and faceoff ability. The cost is the key. with the sense that it would make sense depending on which forwards Buffalo moves on from. The biggest question is health—Jenner has failed to hit the 70-game mark in each of his last five seasons.

Anders Lee is a production-and-leadership option with a potential market deterrent. The 35-year-old had 82 GP, 19 goals, and 42 points in 2025-26 with 15:38 ATOI. The projected contract is 3 years and $6,607,466 AAV. Lee could still get a decent contract on the open market, which could steer the Sabres away. But his leadership, physical play, and ability to finish plays around the net are the appeal. He’s also been a productive power-play contributor, with five straight seasons with at least five power-play goals.

A.J. Greer rounds out a list that leans into edge and role value. The 29-year-old posted 78 GP, 17 goals, and 32 points in 2025-26 with 12:26 ATOI. The projected contract is 3 years and $2,794,886 AAV. The idea is that Greer could replace some of what the Sabres will be missing if they move on from Jordan Greenway. He plays with an edge and would add “nastiness” to Buffalo’s lineup. Offense is part of the argument too—he had 17 goals and 15 assists last season. so that career year could make him popular on the open market.

When the cap is tight. every decision comes back to the same fork: who stays. who goes. and how much a forward can do without forcing Buffalo to overpay. The Sabres’ summer. at least on paper. doesn’t look like a chase for stars—it looks like a hunt for the right kind of competence at the right price. built on a roster they haven’t fully decided to keep yet.

Buffalo Sabres 2026 NHL free agency forward targets cap space Bobby McMann Viktor Arvidsson Vladimir Tarasenko Patrik Laine Patrick Kane Andrei Kuzmenko Oliver Björkstrand Jaden Schwartz Scott Laughton Mason Marchment Boone Jenner Anders Lee A.J. Greer