Though the Stanley Cup Final is underway, most other teams are already gearing up for the offseason. The Buffalo Sabres have already made moves, adding former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager (GM) Jarmo Kekalainen as a senior advisor to GM Kevyn Adams.
The embattled regime has arguably its most important offseason ahead. The Sabres can no longer tolerate a rebuild effort and must make a flashy move, even if it means overpaying. Normally, slow and steady development of picks and prospects would be the goal, but this franchise is beyond that. The team surely has draft targets in mind for the ninth overall pick, but failing to include it in a major trade package would be an incredible failure.
The Prospect Pool Has Limited Room for Advancement
Ignoring the pressure that comes with not making the playoffs for 14 straight seasons, there is a bigger reason why the ninth overall pick is something the Sabres should be leveraging. Simply put, the youngsters are running out of places to go once they look ready to move on from the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Jiri Kulich graduated from a successful stint in the AHL, claiming a full-time roster spot in 2024-25. Devon Levi has been dominant at the AHL level and looks ready to move up in the very near future. Isak Rosen, Noah Ostlund, and Konsta Helenius all look ready as well.
