The Buffalo Sabres entered the offseason Wednesday carrying something the organization had not experienced in 15 years: legitimate momentum.
After guiding Buffalo back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen addressed the media for more than 30 minutes following end-of-season meetings with players and head coach Lindy Ruff. The tone throughout the afternoon was reflective, optimistic, and at times emotional as Kekalainen looked back on a season that reshaped expectations around the franchise.
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Buffalo’s turnaround was fueled less by star power and more by the identity the group gradually developed over the course of the year. The Sabres became more connected defensively, more disciplined structurally, and far more difficult to play against as the season progressed — a shift that ultimately carried them into postseason hockey.
“I’m just real proud of the whole group and what we went through, and how much we learned,” said Kekalainen on Wednesday in Downtown Buffalo. “Obviously we’re not where we want to be right now, and the disappointment will take a little while [to get over], but we did the exit meetings with Lindy [Ruff] together, and I just can’t emphasize enough to them how excited I am about the future of this group and the potential we have.”
Kekalainen repeatedly pointed toward the roster’s long-term makeup as one of the organization’s biggest strengths. From the depth at center to the mobility on the back end, Buffalo’s general manager made it clear he believes the Sabres are building a sustainable contender rather than simply enjoying a breakthrough season.
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“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of young men that have so many potential center icemen in the group,” the Sabres general manager said. “I’ve always believed in building from the back end, and I would put our defensemen against anyone in this league. The goaltending was solid all year, and it’s just the beginning.”
Just as notable was the way Kekalainen spoke about the city itself.
Buffalo’s playoff atmosphere became one of the defining storylines of the spring, with KeyBank Center re-emerging as one of the loudest and most energized buildings in hockey. For a franchise that spent years trapped in rebuilding cycles and frustration, the emotional reconnection between the team and its fanbase clearly left an impression on the organization’s front office.
“It was so great to see how this city came together. I get chills even thinking about it,” Kekalainen noted. “The atmosphere in the building, the electricity around the whole city.”
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Despite the optimism surrounding the franchise, Buffalo now enters an offseason filled with important roster decisions — beginning with the future of veteran winger Alex Tuch.
The 30-year-old is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and while Kekalainen praised Tuch’s value to the team, his comments suggested negotiations will need to strike a balance between rewarding leadership and maintaining long-term roster flexibility.
“He’s been an important part of our success,” Kekalainen acknowledged. “He’s always getting some of the most ice-time of any of the forwards, killing penalties, playing power play, he’s a consistent goal scorer. He’s a valuable part of our team. But just like I’ve told him and I tell everybody in the same situation, we make our decisions based on how can we make our team better. We have to come to an agreement that this is the type of contract where we can still make our team better, and hopefully we can do that.”
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Kekalainen sounded considerably more aggressive when discussing defenseman Bo Byram, who becomes extension eligible July 1 with one year remaining on his current deal.
Buffalo views Byram as a major piece of its long-term core alongside Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson — a defensive group Kekalainen clearly sees as the heartbeat of the roster moving forward.
“It’s very important, and I said that to Bo Byram today. I’d like to lock him up for a long time,” Kekalainen said. “I think the top-four of our defense is our drive, our engine, and their mobility and ability to move the puck, ability to support offense and also play good defensively; there’s a lot of untapped potential there too. I think Bo’s still a young [defenseman], and he can get better.”
The organization also faces looming decisions in goal.
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With new league requirements expected to mandate an emergency backup goalie presence at games next season, carrying three goaltenders on the NHL roster could become increasingly common around the league. Buffalo may find itself in exactly that situation, especially considering waiving Colten Ellis would likely expose him to a claim from the St. Louis Blues.
That reality leaves the development path of Devon Levi under continued scrutiny as the 24-year-old continues navigating the difficult transition from top prospect to full-time NHL starter.
“He’s a talented goalie, and he’s played some great hockey at the American League level,” Kekalainen said of the 24-year-old netminder. “He’s played some games in the NHL, and I think almost every goalie in the league has gone through the process of when they need to develop and play games, they need to play in the minors. It’s the most demanding position, and you don’t get better by sitting on the bench. So he’s just getting through that process now, and next year he’ll need waivers, and we’ll see how he keeps developing.”
Now, the real work begins.
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Buffalo’s long playoff drought is over, but expectations inside the organization have shifted quickly. The Sabres are no longer trying to prove they belong in the conversation — they are now tasked with proving this season was only the beginning.
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