Sabres Summer Free Agent Target – Stefan Noesen

31-year-old winger had played for six teams in his eight-year NHL career

The Buffalo Sabres face a season where accountability will be stressed under head coach Lindy Ruff and areas of need will have to be addressed by GM Kevyn Adams for the club to snap their 13-year playoff drought. We have been taking a look at players who could be potential trade targets this summer over the last few weeks in advance of a year that has to be considered playoffs or bust, but now we will take a look at who the Sabres could potentially be pursuing when the free agent market opens up on July 1.

Buffalo is not likely to pursue big-ticket players like Jake Guentzel or Elias Lindholm, as they will be pursuing long-term big-money contracts, but they will be looking for role players with size and two-way ability that can be signed for a lesser term and cap hit.

Stefan Noesen – Right Wing (Carolina Hurricanes)

Stats: 37 points (14 G, 23 A) in 81 games, 4 points (4 G, 0 A) in 11 playoff games

2023-24 Salary - $762,500

Along the lines of the Sabres looking to add bigger, tougher and more versatile forwards to play roles in their bottom six, the much-travelled Noesen could be a low-cost depth addition that could provide some of the pushback that the club has been lacking in recent years.

Noesen was a 2011 first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators who was traded to Anaheim in 2013 in the Bobby Ryan deal. The Texas native split time between the Ducks and the AHL the next three seasons, but was then claimed by New Jersey off of waivers in 2017. He posted a career-high 13 goals with the Devils in 2018, but the following year missed half of the season with a knee injury and did not get a qualifying offer.

Signed to a one-year deal by the Penguins in 2019, Noesen played only six games in Pittsburgh before being claimed on waivers again by San Jose. After seeing spot duty with the Sharks over two seasons, he was included in a three-way deal as a contract dump to Toronto in 2021 and became a free agent that summer.

The 31-year-old’s career turned around after signing with Carolina in 2021. Noesen scored 48 goals for AHL Chicago in their Calder Cup winning season, and after re-upping for two years, became a full-time NHLer for the first time in six seasons, scoring 13 and 14 goals with the Hurricanes.

The veteran journeyman is likely looking for a deal with some security coming off his best seasons, but he is not likely to be a player that will be too costly.