The Buffalo Sabres entered 2025/26 with a historic Stanley Cup Playoffs drought, but after making a change in the front office, the team were sparked and went on an incredible run.
That run may have ended in overtime of Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but given how young this core is, to overcome the pressure of a 15-year post-season drought and perform that well, the future looks very, very bright. This off-season, the team have already been linked to big names like Vincent Trocheck and Connor Hellebuyck, and while they’re yet to land a big name, this is a team that’s ready to get aggressive and make some moves.
Buffalo Sabres Actively Looking to Deal Jack Quinn
GettyJack Quinn of the Buffalo Sabres.
While it’s great to build a young core, not all of the players in that core will survive when a team looks to go from promising team to true contender status, and with the continued speculation about the Winnipeg Jets star goaltender being an option, Buffalo will need to give up a player they truly like.
Dating back to the draft, the team have been in discussions over Hellebuyck, and while nothing has happened, it has been revealed which player they’re happy to deal in that move or another corresponding move to land Hellebuyck or another goaltending upgrade. According to David Pagnotta, that player is former first-round pick Jack Quinn, and while this has been known for some time, he reiterates that the team are still actively trying to move him.
“The Sabres are dangling Jack Quinn as trade bait and have since prior to the NHL Draft; If Buffalo can package him in a deal for a roster upgrade, that seems like the goal.”
Will the Sabres Move Jack Quinn This Summer?
On paper, moving a winger for a goaltender is a good move for the Sabres, and given that Quinn is likely replaceable with players like Peyton Krebs and Josh Doan lower in the lineup, it makes it an even bigger no-brainer move for Buffalo.
This past season, Quinn put up career high numbers with 20 goals and 51 points in 82 games played, and while it’s not always the best idea to trade a promising 24-year-old, to land a multiple time Vezina Trophy winner and a former Hart Trophy winner, it’s a move that the Sabres should be looking to make. Obviously, they’ll need to add several more assets to a deal if they want to land Hellebuyck, and after not giving up the No. 4 overall pick heading into the 2026 NHL Draft, that asset pool is now looking a lot less appealing for the Jets.
It’s not just the Jets that the Sabres could look to trade Quinn too, as they could deal him for other assets that they could add to a potential Hellebuyck blockbuster, and while there’s a chance he may be back in Buffalo next season, given how aggressive the team remain in seeking an upgrade, it seems a matter of when, not if a deal will get done.
Buffalo Sabres Still Looking to Deal Fifth-Year NHL Winger