For the first time in nearly two decades, the Buffalo Sabres didn’t just smell the playoffs — they actually won a round. That alone would have been unthinkable 12 months ago, when the franchise was still wearing the NHL’s longest active playoff drought like a neon sign of failure. But here we are, scratching our heads at a future that suddenly looks bright, yet fragile.
Everything changed on December 10, 2025. That’s when Buffalo fired general manager Kevyn Adams — a move that most fans had begged for across three lost seasons. In came Jarmo Kekäläinen, the former Columbus Blue Jackets architect, and the Sabres went nuclear. A 10-game winning streak. An eight-game winning streak. The best 40-game stretch any NHL team has posted in 30 years. They finished first in their division for the first time since 2007, then bounced the Boston Bruins in six games in Round One.
Their run ended in heartbreak — a Game 7 overtime loss to Montreal in the second round at KeyBank Center. But the message was sent: Buffalo is no longer a punchline.
The Alex Tuch Problem
Now comes the hard part. Star forward Alex Tuch is a pending unrestricted free agent, and all signs point to him walking this summer. If he does, the Sabres lose a top-six forward who can drive play, score, and eat minutes in all situations. Replacing that isn’t simple — especially for a team that still has cap space to burn but needs the right fit.
Enter Vincent Trocheck.
Why Trocheck Fits Buffalo
The New York Rangers center nearly got dealt at the March trade deadline but stayed put. At 33 years old, Trocheck isn’t getting younger, but his game hasn’t aged a day. He was a key piece for Team USA at both the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics, delivering two-way hockey under bright lights. He helped the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2024. And here’s the kicker: his $5.625 million cap hit through 2029 is roughly half of what Tuch is seeking on the open market.
If Buffalo wants to stay competitive and keep their salary structure manageable, Trocheck is the most logical target.
What Buffalo Could Send Back
The Rangers have their own holes to fill. Veteran backup Jonathan Quick is retiring, leaving Igor Shesterkin without a reliable No. 2. The Sabres have a goaltender who needs a fresh start: Devon Levi. He’s blocked in Buffalo by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and hasn’t gotten consistent NHL looks, but his potential is real. A move to New York could finally give him the runway to prove himself.
Then there’s prospect Brodie Ziemer, a third-round pick in 2024 who’s blossomed into a reliable scorer at the University of Minnesota. For a Rangers team that needs to restock its prospect pipeline with high-upside talent, Ziemer is exactly the kind of piece that makes sense long-term.
To seal the deal, Buffalo would likely need to part with an active roster player — maybe Jack Quinn or Peyton Krebs. The front office would be hesitant, but you don’t get a player like Trocheck for spare parts.
According to reports, the Tuch and Sabres split feels inevitable. If Kekäläinen lands Trocheck, Buffalo’s upward trajectory doesn’t stall — it builds momentum. And that’s something nobody saw coming a year ago.
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