How the NHL's record salary-cap increase could help the Sabres now and into the future
Bowen Byram braced for the slap shot.
Bowen Byram braced for the slap shot.
Byram, one of the Sabres' top defensemen, turned slightly and absorbed Roman Josi's attempt to tie the score for the Nashville Predators with 14 seconds left in regulation Friday night.
Byram was in pain as the Sabres cleared their defensive zone, and he celebrated with teammates after they secured a 4-3 victory in front of 18,347 fans in KeyBank Center.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) clears a puck from behind the net against the Nashville Predators
during the second period at the KeyBank Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)
"That’s what it takes," said Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.
The selfless plays made throughout the decisive third period came on a night in which the Sabres inducted Rob Ray into the team's hall of fame.
A video montage shown during the Ray's induction ceremony sent Sabres fans on a trip down memory lane, back to the days of playoff runs featuring a group of players who described themselves as the hardest working team in hockey.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and general manager Kevyn Adams want their team to play with the same tenacity and selflessness that were hallmarks of the franchise for decades. Though Buffalo remains the youngest team in the NHL, it has gradually added experienced veterans to the lineup in recent seasons.
The cost of retaining those players and adding others became more expensive Friday in the wake of the seismic news announced by the NHL and NHL Players’ Association.
The upper limit to the league’s salary cap is rising to $95.5 million in 2025-26, or $7.5 million more than this season, and, if the collective bargaining agreement is still in effect, $104 million in 2026-27, followed by $113.5 million in 2027-28. In turn, players' salaries will rise. The record salary-cap increase was made possible by league revenues reaching new highs, a direct result of a successful U.S. media rights deal and teams are making more money through advertising sales.
Some owners won’t be willing to spend as much as possible on player salaries.
Colorado, for example, traded one of the best forwards in the NHL, Mikko Rantanen, to the Carolina Hurricanes recently because it was unwilling to meet his asking price. Teams are only required to spend to the cap’s lower limit -- $70.6 million next season – and some will avoid that financial obligation by acquiring an injured player whose salary is covered by insurance like the Sabres did with goalie Ben Bishop in 2022-23.
It's unclear how the Sabres plan to approach the new financial landscape. They're not going to be among the teams only spending to the cap floor, but owner Terry Pegula may not want to spend to the ceiling either.
The announcement provided clarity at a time when the franchise’s key decision-makers are debating whether to make significant changes to a roster that failed to meet expectations for a second consecutive season.
Adams’ preference isn’t to sell before the March 7 trade deadline, though he noted that the status of his pending unrestricted free agents will influence his strategy.
“We’re trying to make our team better,” Adams said during an interview on WGR Radio before the game Friday. “We’re not looking to be sellers. I mean, there’s certain deals you have to do for the organization depending on certain things, but we’re looking to add to our team and we’re looking to make our team better.”
According to PuckPedia.com, the Sabres’ salary-cap space over each of the next three seasons is $33.7 million in 2025-26, $54.04 million in 2026-27 and $68.24 million in 2027-28. Only six players are signed beyond 2027-28: Dahlin, Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
There’s more than enough money to re-sign the Sabres’ notable restricted free agents: Byram, center Ryan McLeod, winger JJ Peterka, winger Jack Quinn, center Tyson Kozak and goalie Devon Levi.
AFP Analytics projects Byram will receive a seven-year, $7.273 million contract if he’s signed long-term, though it’s possible Byram’s average annual value will reach or exceed Power’s $8.35 million cap hit. Byram, 23, played a prominent role for the Avalanche during the club’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2022 and he’s averaging a career-high 23:12 of ice time while skating on the Sabres’ top defense pair with Dahlin.
The team can also try to sign Byram to a short-term contract or, worst-case scenario, he's eligible to file for a salary arbitration hearing.
“His contract’s up, but he still is restricted so it kind of changes the dynamic," said Adams. "That’ll be a guy that we’ll be definitely working hard to figure out a way to get him signed and keep him a Sabre.”
McLeod, meanwhile, is projected to receive a three-year contract worth only $3.042 million, a bargain for a 25-year-old second or third-line center with his playoff experience and skill set. The Sabres should try to get McLeod signed sooner rather than later. He’s on pace for career highs in goals, assists, points, and average ice time.
Peterka’s situation may be the most challenging of the three because a long-term contract could cost the Sabres as much as a six-year commitment with a $6.623 average annual value, according to AFP Analytics. The team may prefer to give him a short-term deal, especially with Peterka not eligible for an arbitration hearing. Peterka ranks fourth on the team with 14 goals and his 40 points are second behind Thompson.
Quinn, Kozak and Levi will be cheap to re-sign relative to their potential impacts next season and beyond. A higher upper limit to the salary cap may also help the Sabres retain their two notable pending unrestricted free agents: veteran forwards Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway.
Both will be coveted by contenders before the trade deadline, but Adams prefers to keep them. He met with Zucker and his agent in person recently, and the Sabres plan to do the same with Greenway.
“I’ve connected with both of their agents, and these are two guys who we think are important,” Adams said on WGR. “We’d like to have both of them back. ... (Zucker) reiterated that he thinks we can do something special here. He wants to be part of it. ... For both those guys, we’d like to move forward and try to find a way to get a deal done.”
The Sabres have the option to trade Zucker and Greenway if contract talks don’t lead to a deal, then re-engage in negotiations when they become free agents July 1. Even if Byram, McLeod and Peterka are re-signed, their cap hits should cost less than $20 million. There would still be enough money to sign Zucker and Greenway. AFP Analytics projects Zucker to receive a two-year contract worth $5.217 million per season and Greenway to sign a four-year contract with a $3.86 million annual cap hit.
Adams will also have to consider the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons, even though the upper limit will exceed $100 million. Alex Tuch is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2026, and he’s eligible to sign a contract extension July 1. He’s 28 years old and hasn’t matched the career highs that he produced two seasons ago; however, he’s one of their most consistent forwards and a difference-maker in seemingly every area of the ice.
His leadership, experience and responsible approach on the ice are invaluable.
Potential trades are another aspect of the Sabres’ short- and long-term financial planning.
Adams is weighing whether to pay the significant price to acquire Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson, whose contract counts $11 million over each of the next six seasons. The Sabres can afford Pettersson's salary, but they must also weigh how much it will cost to acquire him. The Canucks may want Cozens and Byram, which would create a significant hole on Buffalo's blue line.
The Sabres need to add a defenseman, particularly a right-handed shot, even if Byram stays in Buffalo long-term. It is 9-7-1 since the 13-game winless streak and its 112 goals at 5-on-5 are tied for sixth-most in the NHL.
Changes are inevitable if the playoff drought reaches 14 years, but the news Friday arrived at an important time. The league's break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament begins Feb. 10. The trade deadline is five weeks away. And, though all involved are disappointed, the Sabres have seen that following Ruff's game plan leads to success.
"We’ve got to continue to build on this," said Dahlin.
