Locked On Sabres - Daily Podcast On The Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres haven't made any big moves to get better this offseason, just moderate ones like Olen Zellweger. With the losses of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, can the Sabres win the Stanley Cup with the roster they presently have? Sneaky Joe lays out five things that could propel the Sabres to being a team that could win the Cup. Based around big seasons from the likes of Konsta Helenius, Noah...

Peyton Krebs has filed for arbitration with the Buffalo Sabres as a restricted free agent, setting up a very interesting dilemma for the Sabres. Krebs has turned into a very useful player that is versatile enough to play on the top line and the fourth line, playing center or wing. But what is Krebs' role going forward? The Sabres are loaded with fourth line centers already, and you probably want b...

The Buffalo Sabres sign Olen Zellweger to a new three year extension, at a very team friendly cap hit, giving the Sabres room to still make a swing if they want to. If the Sabres were to get Connor Hellebuyck in a deal, only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would have to go back in the deal to make the salaries work. There is also the matter of Peyton Krebs' contract, which could be heading for arbitration, o...

Free agency day has arrived! And while the biggest names are off the market already, there are still plenty of good veteran ideas out there for the Buffalo Sabres. Starting with Claude Giroux, who even at 38 years old, is a very good top six forward that fits the specific things the Sabres need help at. Powerplay and faceoffs. Giroux is still a great playmaker on a top powerplay unit. He also has...

The Buffalo Sabres didn't get a deal done for Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck at the NHL Draft, but by most accounts they came very close. Hellebuyck was not traded anywhere else, there are no rumors connecting him to any other destination, and Elliotte Freidman reports he would waive his no-trade clause for Buffalo. So, the Sabres should still be considered the favorites to land t...

Before the NHL Draft on Friday night, Jarmo Kekäläinen swung a trade to help replace the departure of Bowen Byram for the short-term, and maybe the long-term, acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks. Zellweger is a 22-year old, small defenseman, who is one of the fastest blueliners in the entire NHL. He also has the skill to score goals and setup chances in the offensive zone. T...

Many were expecting the Buffalo Sabres to trade at least one of the 4th and 20th overall picks in the 1st round of the NHL Draft, if not both. On a night that did not feature much in the way of trades, the Sabres stayed put to draft defenseman Daxon Rudolph from the Prince Albert Raiders and center Ilia Morozov of Miami (OH). Rudolph was a surprise to most being the top defenseman picked in the NH...

With the 20th overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres select Ilia Morozov of Miami University Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Buffalo Sabres take defenceman Daxon Rudolph from the Prince Albert Raiders Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There's an expectation that the Buffalo Sabres will, or are at least trying to, trade their 4th overall pick before they're on the clock in the 1st round on Friday night in Buffalo. However, if the Sabres stay and make the pick, there are tons of great ideas. Sebastian High of Locked On NHL Prospects joins the show for an in-depth look at the top guys likely to be available at #4, including small...

Alex Tuch is signing an 8-year contract extension worth $10.5M per year, but with the Washington Capitals. The Buffalo Sabres after not managing to get a deal done with Tuch, trade his rights for a 3rd round pick and forward David Kampf. While many are thankful the Sabres didn't meet Tuch's asking price, the price he ends up going for would not have had the long-term consequences many would fear....

Jarmo Kekäläinen has made his first monster move as GM of the Buffalo Sabres, and he's done something no GM has done in 18 years. Acquire a top-five draft pick from another team. The Sabres send Bo Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, along with Jordan Greenway and his $4M salary, for the 4th overall pick, the 45th pick, and giant defenseman Louis Crevier. A trade that is being celebrated as "larceny"...

There are rumors about the Buffalo Sabres in the goalie market, both with Connor Hellebuyck and now Sergei Bobrovsky. Hellebuyck remains the best idea out there, but is signing Bobrovsky in free agency better than running it back with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon? Bobrvosky has experience with Jarmo Kekäläinen in Columbus, is a multiple Stanley Cup champion, but is coming off maybe the worst...

The Buffalo Sabres should be searching for help on their powerplay this offseason and there are a few ideas in free agency. One of which is Patrik Laine, who Jarmo Kekäläinen made a big swing trade to get back in his Columbus days. Laine is horrible defensively, isn't very good at 5-on-5 anymore, and cannot stay healthy. Sooo, why should the Sabres sign him? Two reasons. Powerplay. Bonus laden con...

Jarmo Kekäläinen said at the end of the season that he wants to get Bo Byram on a long-term contract extension. That doesn't appear to be on the way to happening. Darren Dreger reports that multiple teams are in trade talks with the Sabres about acquiring Byram. The indication is that Byram is being non-committal about staying in Buffalo on another deal, as he will never get the opportunity to be...

The Buffalo Sabres first trade of the offseason is sending Michael Kesselring to the San Jose Sharks for a trade-up in the 1st round! Jarmo Kekäläinen moves up from the 27th pick to the 20th pick of the 1st round. It sounds like something valuable, but a closer look at the history of the end of the 1st round shows it's a marginal difference between the two. The trade is more about not wanting to p...

Jarmo Kekäläinen's former captain in Columbus, Boone Jenner, is slated to become a free agent in a couple weeks. Does it make sense for Jarmo to pursue his guy? Jenner provides faceoffs, goals, and veteran leadership at a likely reasonable contract. At 33 years old, and wanting some term on his next deal, the Sabres may have to give out a three year contract to get Jenner. Is it worth it? Jenner i...

Buffalo Sabres fans have wondered for years if Patrick Kane would ever play for his hometown team. Now at 37 years old, it feels like it's now or never. It's a very polarizing idea. Some would run out to buy his jersey immediately, while likely more want nothing to do with it. Is there any merit to signing Kane for on-ice reasons at this point in his career? Kane's ability on the powerplay is stil...

Many Buffalo Sabres fans have wondered about trading Owen Power over the years, but after a stellar playoff campaign, fewer and fewer of them are as into the idea. Power played through an ankle sprain in Game 7 against the Canadiens and played fantastic in over 28 minutes of action, setting up Rasmus Dahlin for the game tying goal in the 3rd period, despite playing through an injury. Sneaky Joe be...

Not Dylan Larkin, not Jordan Kyrou, but is Nico Hischier the best trade target for the Buffalo Sabres? The New Jersey Devils captain is having trouble locking down a contract extension with his team and could be on the move. Would the Sabres be in the market for a 60+ point center that plays powerplay, penalty kill, and excels at faceoffs? Hischier would become the Sabres #1 center, and could be a...

The biggest trade in the NHL this offseason is likely going to be a Dylan Larkin trade, if the Red Wings honor his request and send him to a contender. The Buffalo Sabres are not on Larkin's original trade request list, but could they bully their way onto it? Steve Yzerman being stubborn about Larkin's trade could actually play into the Sabres advantage. But it will take having the best offer and...

Many Sabres fans are beginning to get on board with the idea of letting Alex Tuch walk away in free agency and not pay him the giant contract extension. Sneaky Joe believes there is a very real circumstance in which the Sabres should pay Tuch that big contract. If in the next month, Jarmo Kekäläinen cannot secure a younger, better replacement for Tuch on their top line, they should step up and kee...

It is INCREDIBLE, but somehow Jon Cooper is your 2026 Jack Adams Award winner over Lindy Ruff and all the other top coach candidates and there is no intelligent argument for it. There's no doubt in anyone's mind, and voters aren't even hiding from it, that Cooper simply won because he had never won the award before. Lindy gets the award stolen away because of a pre-meditated vote by at least 36 vo...

Alex Tuch could very well leave Buffalo in free agency and the Sabres don't have to be terrified of that, in large part due to their young talent. Especially Konsta Helenius and Noah Östlund. Both players look like they're going to be top-six guys for a long time. Some of the things the Sabres will be losing in Tuch like speed, goal scoring, defense, and penalty killing, Helenius and Östlund both...

If the Buffalo Sabres walk away from an Alex Tuch extension, there are very few players they could acquire to replace his production. St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou would be one of them and there is reason to believe he is available for trade. Kyrou and the Blues may have animosity that makes him available. A 28 year old, three time 30 goal scorer, that is under contract for 5 years at $8.1 m...