Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen is still looking to replace star forward Alex Tuch this summer. Tuch was recently offloaded in a sign-and-trade deal with the Washington Capitals. The winger recorded 66 points in 79 games with Buffalo during the 2025-26 campaign. His 0.84 points per game tally was the second-best figure of the star’s NHL career.
With Tuch gone, there is a substantial hole to fill on Buffalo’s roster. Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston is now predicting that the Sabres will land veteran Patrick Kane to help soften the blow. According to Beaston, Buffalo seemingly has “the inside track” in the race to sign the future Hall of Famer. Much of this is likely because Kane was born in the Western New York city and previously purchased a mansion in the surrounding area.
Beaston is far from the only NHL reporter to link the veteran forward with the Sabres. Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton both also recently hinted that the Buffalo Sabres will sign Kane. Hutton specifically acknowledged that the Toronto Maple Leafs are also interested in the winger. Nevertheless, the Sabres make “the most sense” according to the reporter.
Kane, 37, is likely headed for his last NHL stop before considering retirement. A potential homecoming in Buffalo would be a great ending to the legendary winger’s illustrious career. Despite his age, Kane is still putting up solid statistics. In fact, he most recently posted 57 points in 67 games with the Detroit Red Wings.
Buffalo Sabres Can Afford to Give Patrick Kane Suitable Contract
GettyFormer Red Wing Patrick Kane would be the ideal signing for the Buffalo Sabres.
Outside of Kane’s connection to the city, the Buffalo Sabres have not exactly been a hot pick for significant NHL stars. This, however, has seemingly changed. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently revealed that Team USA players Connor Hellebuyck and Vincent Trocheck both registered interest in the Sabres this summer. While Hellebuyck could still join Buffalo, Trocheck was recently traded to the Utah Mammoth.
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston recently ranked Kane as the 13th-best NHL unrestricted free agent this offseason. Due to a flurry of completed moves, the veteran is now fourth on the list. Johnston is predicting that the winger will earn a new deal in the neighborhood of $3.2 million for one year. If so, the Sabres could quite easily afford to bring in Kane. According to Puckpedia.com, Buffalo has a projected cap space of just under $9 million.
Buffalo Still Faces Competition to Sign Star
The Buffalo Sabres will, however, still face competition in the Kane sweepstakes from the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. While he has finished his most recent contract in Detroit, the club continues to pursue the forward. Nevertheless, Friedman is unsure if the veteran is willing to return to the Red Wings. “I don’t know that I expect him to go back to Detroit,” the NHL insider said on his most recent podcast.
Potentially bringing Kane home would be solid work in multiple ways. Buffalo could obviously use the winger’s offensive output due to the loss of Tuch. The Sabres also have a plethora of young players, but need a veteran leader such as Kane. The three-time Stanley Cup champion would provide guidance to one of the youngest rosters in the NHL.
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