Tuch - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres sign Peyton Krebs to four-year contract, avoid arbitration

The Buffalo Sabres on Monday avoided arbitration with Peyton Krebs, signing the versatile forward to a four-year, $18 million contract.

Krebs, 25, was the Sabres’ last restricted free agent. He filed for arbitration last week.

His $4.5 million salary cap hit is the seventh-highest among Buffalo forwards. He just completed a two-year, $2.9 million contract.... Read the full article

Sabres make depth signings, trade after free agency opens; Jarmo Kekalainen open to making more moves

BUFFALO – After free agency opened Wednesday, the Sabres stayed pretty quiet, signing four depth players likely ticketed for the minors and trading goalie Devon Levi.

While more notable moves could materialize – “We’re still open for business,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in LECOM Harborcenter – the roster might be pretty much set.

“By no means we’re desperate to add anything right now,” Kekalainen said. “It needs to be a perfect fit both from ... Read the full article

As free agency begins, trades look like best way for Sabres to improve

BUFFALO – Free agency, with its limited crop of talent and exorbitant asking prices, likely won’t help the Sabres much as general manager Jarmo Kekalainen works to improve a roster that has recently lost two of its best players.

The offseason kicks into high gear again today when the market opens at noon.

What could Kekalainen, who’s in his first summer as GM, do to keep the Sabres atop the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division?... Read the full article

Trading for Olen Zellweger gives Sabres defenseman with qualities similar to Bowen Byram

ORCHARD PARK – In Olen Zellweger, the Buffalo Sabres traded for a defenseman who Jarmo Kekalainen said possesses “a lot of the same qualities” of Bowen Byram.

“Really good skater, speed, puck play, the ability to move up the ice whether to pass or carry the puck out of the zone,” the general manager said Friday at One Bills Drive hours after trading for Zellweger. “We see a lot of potential in him.”... Read the full article

Alex Tuch explains why he left Sabres for Capitals in sign-and-trade deal: ‘One of the toughest moments of my life’

Alex Tuch wants to keep the details of his departure from Buffalo private. The winger just made an agonizing decision, choosing to leave the Sabres in a sign-and-trade deal with the Washington Capitals a week before he could’ve become an unrestricted free agent.

“It was one of the toughest decisions of my life,” Tuch, who inked an eight-year, $84 million contract, said Friday on a Zoom call.

Before the Sabres heated up and roared to ... Read the full article

Select or trade? No. 4 pick in NHL Draft gives Sabres interesting options

ORCHARD PARK – Luckily for the Sabres, the NHL, which decentralized its draft last year much to the chagrin of, well, pretty much everyone in the hockey world except for some general managers, still has its top prospects gather in a city.

This week, the festivities are being held in Buffalo, so instead of scrambling after acquiring the fourth overall pick in Tuesday’s blockbuster trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, GM Jarmo Kekalainen and his staff ... Read the full article

Sabres send Alex Tuch to Capitals in sign-and-trade deal

ORCHARD PARK – Barely nine months ago, as he began the final season of his contract, Alex Tuch said he would love to make Buffalo his long-term home. On Wednesday, with no chance to keep him, the Sabres traded the winger to Washington Capitals.

What changed since the start of training camp?

“I think that’s a question for him,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said hours before the Sabres dealt Tuch. “We wanted to sign him.”... Read the full article

Sabres won’t re-sign Alex Tuch, will try to trade his rights: ‘He’s moving on’

ORCHARD PARK – Winger Alex Tuch’s career with the Buffalo Sabres is over.

General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said this afternoon he’s looking to trade Tuch’s rights because he won’t be re-signing with the Sabres. Tuch, 30, can become an unrestricted free agent next Wednesday.

Update: The Sabres have officially traded Tuch to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick and forward David Kampf.

Update: Tuch will sign an eight-year extension worth $10.5 million ... Read the full article

Buffalo Sabres trade Bowen Byram to Chicago Blackhawks in blockbuster deal, land fourth overall pick

The Buffalo Sabres completed a blockbuster trade with the Blackhawks tonight, sending defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Jordan Greenway to Chicago in exchange for the fourth overall pick in Friday’s NHL Draft, the 45th selection and defenseman Louis Crevier.

Now, does general manager Jarmo Kekalainen have another move up his sleeve? Will the Sabres, who host the draft Friday and Saturday at KeyBank Center, make their early pick? Or could they package it with, say, ... Read the full article

Trading Bowen Byram wouldn’t make much sense for Sabres

BUFFALO – You can be sure Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has been fielding calls from his counterparts inquiring about the availability of Bowen Byram, who can become an unrestricted free agent next year.

As a puck-moving defenseman fresh off a career-best 11-goal, 42-point season and some standout performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Byram, 25, is a coveted asset as he enters his prime.

GMs are simply doing their due diligence. Kekalainen should listen ... Read the full article