The Buffalo Sabres are being linked with a trade to help fill the void left by Alex Tuch. So far, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen has not technically replaced the outgoing star winger. After failed contract negotiations with Tuch, Buffalo traded the forward to the Washington Capitals.
Kekäläinen then attempted to bring in Patrick Kane as a direct replacement for Tuch. The future Hall of Famer, however, opted to join the Chicago Blackhawks instead. While the Sabres still have forward options in free agency (notably Patrik Laine and Eeli Tolvanen), it was recently revealed that Buffalo is unlikely to pursue this avenue.
Nevertheless, Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson believes that the Buffalo Sabres could soon target Columbus Blue Jackets star Kirill Marchenko. The reporter even placed the Sabres atop his list of potential landing spots for the winger. According to Richardson, Buffalo’s plethora of quality young forwards could ultimately help them land the Russian forward. Interestingly enough, Kekäläinen drafted Marchenko during his time with the Blue Jackets.
“The Sabres could draw on their deep pool of promising young forwards as trade bait if Marchenko becomes available,” writes Richardson. “They could offer a package with Jack Quinn and Noah Östlund as part of the return, though the Jackets could prefer Zack Benson or Josh Doan in the deal.”
Kirill Marchenko Would be Perfect Alex Tuch Replacement for the Buffalo Sabres
GettyKirill Marchenko will likely be a top NHL trade target in the coming months.
If the Buffalo Sabres can acquire Marchenko, he would certainly be a suitable replacement for Tuch. Tuch had six more goals than the Blue Jackets star during the most recent campaign. However, Marchenko edged the new Capital player in assists and total points. The Russian’s stats are perhaps even more impressive considering he played on a weaker team last year. As a team, the Blue Jackets scored nearly 40 fewer goals than the Sabres in 2025-26.
Columbus would obviously prefer to keep Marchenko beyond the upcoming season. Nevertheless, the forward has been linked with a potential move out of town practically all summer. The Russian is set to enter his final year under contract and will become a restricted free agent in 2027. He previously signed a three-year, $11.5 million ($3.8 million AAV) deal with the Blue Jackets. Kekäläinen was in Columbus when the winger earned the contract.
The Buffalo Sabres not only have attractive assets to strike a significant deal, but they also have extra funds. According to PuckPedia.com, the club has just over $5 million in projected cap space. Buffalo also has a full NHL roster, so they would need to drop someone to add a player like Marchenko.
Buffalo Faces Stiff Competition for Forward from Rivals
While the Buffalo Sabres likely want Marchenko, they are not the only team to be interested in a deal with Columbus. In fact, Kekäläinen would likely face the stiffest competition from the divisional rival Montreal Canadiens. Montreal has been linked with the star Russian for weeks now. General manager Kent Hughes desperately wants to add another top-six forward to his roster.
Much like the Sabres, the Canadiens also have quality young forwards to help land a star player. Buffalo may ultimately have to give up slightly more assets than they would prefer to acquire Marchenko.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Sabres Expected to Rival Canadiens for $11.5 Million Star Winger appeared first on HEAVY.