Key departures
Bowen Byram, D: The Blackhawks signed Byram to a six-year contract July 1. He had an NHL career-high 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) in 82 games last season and seven points (four goals, three assists) in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games. … Alex Tuch, F: Part of a sign-and-trade June 26, when he agreed to an eight-year contract with Buffalo before being sent to the Washington Capitals for forward David Kampf and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Tuch had 66 points (33 goals, 33 assists) during the regular season and seven points (four goals, three assists) in 13 playoff games … Jordan Greenway, F: The Sabres will miss the grit of Greenway (6-6, 231 pounds), who was part of the Byram trade with Chicago. He had six points (one goal, five assists) in 40 regular-season games and three points (two goals, one assist) in 13 playoff games. … David Kampf, F: Less than two weeks after being acquired in the Tuch trade, Kampf signed a three-year contract with HC Litvinov in Czech Extraliga on July 7. He had six points (two goals, four assists) in 40 games for the Capitals and Vancouver Canucks last season … Devon Levi, G: Traded with a seventh-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft to the Edmonton Oilers on July 1 for a third-round pick in 2028. Levi, who was once considered the Sabres' goalie of the future, played 39 NHL games over three seasons, going 17-17-2 with a 3.29 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. … Michael Kesselring, D: Traded to the San Jose Sharks on June 17 with the No. 27 pick in the 2026 draft for the No. 20 pick in the same draft. Kesselring, who had just two assists in 34 games last season, signed to a three-year contract with San Jose on June 29.
On the cusp
Konsta Helenius, F: The 20-year-old was a point-per-game producer for Rochester of the American Hockey League last season (63 points; 21 goals, 42 assists in 63 games). The departures of Tuch and Greenway should provide an opportunity with the Sabres for Helenius, who had four points (one goal, three assists) in nine games with Buffalo during the regular season and two goals in four postseason games. … Zach Metsa, D: The 27-year-old is a late bloomer who played the first 43 games of his NHL career with the Sabres last season. More important than his six points (two goals, four assists) was his plus-16 rating, which should make him a candidate to bust into Buffalo's top six, especially with Byram and Kesselring gone.
