Sabres’ dream, nightmare scenario for 2026 NHL Trade Deadline

The Buffalo Sabres are one of the great stories of the 2025-26 season. Frozen out of the playoffs since 2011, the Sabres (32-19-6) have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL since mid-December. They are currently in the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and they are just two points behind the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings as those two teams are tied for second place.

The Sabres are led by three outstanding players in center Tage Thompson, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and right wing Alex Tuch.

Thompson has been one of the most explosive goal scorers in the league as he has 30 goals as he returns from the Winter Olympics after winning a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic hockey team. Thompson has been an elite scorer since the 2021-22 season when he reached the 38-goal mark and he has since tallied 47, 29 and 44 goals. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff is counting on Thompson to continue to fire away and continue to score key goals.

Dahlin is one of the top defensemen in the NHL, and he has triggered the Buffalo offense with 11 goals and 38 assists to this point in the season.

Tuch is also an excellent goal scorer and he regularly uses his size and touch around the net. He has 22 goals and 26 assists along with a plus-14 rating.

Sabres must be active prior to the trade deadline

While the Sabres have demonstrated surprising strength as they have put together a 21-5-2 run, nothing is guaranteed at this point. They need to produce victories at a 60-65 percent rate if they want to ensure they are going to be playing in the postseason.

General manager Jarmo Kekäläinen has a huge responsibility to give the Sabres as much of a chance to not only make the playoffs but win a round or more once they get there. Kekäläinen does not want to mortgage the team’s future, but the Sabres have come too far to let this opportunity slip through their grasp.

The general manager needs to be active prior to the March 6 trade deadline in order to help the Sabres have a dream scenario as they drive towards the postseason.

Robert Thomas would give the Sabres a dangerous second-line center

This would not be an easy trade for Kekäläinen to accomplish, but bringing in Thomas from the St. Louis Blues would raise the profile of the team and give them two very dangerous lines.

Thompson centers the top line with Tuch on his right side and Payton Krebs on his left side. Ryan McLeod is currently the center on the second line with Jack Quinn on the right and veteran Jason Zucker on the left. The addition of Thomas could be a significant upgrade.

McLeod is a fine player and the No. 4 scorer on the team with 11 goals and 30 assists as well as a plus-19 rating, but Thomas might be a game-changing player as the Sabres play their most crucial regular-season games and then compete in the postseason.

While Thomas has been held to 11 goals and 22 assists in 42 games this season, he had 86 and 81 points in the last two years. Moving on to an improving team like the Sabres could be just the trigger Thomas needs to finish the season on a hot streak.

Sabres could use a depth forward like Ryan Lomberg

If the Sabres are going to finish the regular season on a positive note, it’s not just about adding a big-name player who can score.

The Sabres have a need for at least one depth forward, and they should consider making a move for Ryan Lomberg of the Calgary Flames.

Lomberg is in his second season in his return engagement with the Flames. He also played his first two seasons in Calgary before playing his next four years with the Florida Panthers.

He played a key role in Florida when the Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2023. He is not a big-time scorer or a major offensive threat — he has scored just four goals and four assists in 50 games this season — but he will go into the corners to win puck battles and he is not afraid to fight. Lomberg will defend himself and his teammates even though he is just 5-9 and 185 pounds. He has 59 penalty minutes thus far in the season.

Sabres must have the determination to make positive deals

More than any specific player, the Sabres need to get the message from the front office that management has confidence in them. By making at least a couple of key additions, that message will come across loud and clear in the locker room. It’s not about holding on to the team’s high draft picks in the next draft or two. It’s about giving this team every chance to win now.

Kekäläinen can not hesitate and it’s important that he pursues talent in an aggressive fashion. If he is afraid to make a deal or doesn’t want to give up a high draft pick because it would impact the team’s future, he would be making a mistake that could turn into a nightmare for the Sabres and their long-suffering fans.

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