Three Potential Sabres Buyout Options

The NHL buyout window opened Friday at 5pm, which gives clubs the opportunity to clear underachieving players from rosters and open up cap space. While many contenders may exercise this option to pursue one or two players who could make the difference between success and failure next season, teams like the Buffalo Sabres could got the buyout route to open up roster spots for players who do not fit with head coach Lindy Ruff.

The Sabres are not in need of opening up space, as they are over $23 million under the cap, but if owner Terry Pegula and GM Kevyn Adams are fully intent on snapping the club’s 14-year playoff drought, they have to make bold moves that might include buyouts.

Here are three potential options:

Connor Clifton - The 30-year-old defenseman is one of the few right-handed shooters on the Sabres blueline, but his signing two years ago was primarily due to his relationship with former head coach Don Granato. A buyout of the final year of his three-year, $10 million deal would save Buffalo $2.22 million on the cap next season.

Sam Lafferty - Lafferty was one of a slew of free agent signings that Adams made in early July to bolster the Sabres bottom-six depth, but as with many of those additions, the 30-year-old’s signing was a disappointment, with just seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 60 games. A buyout of the final year would save $1.33 million of his $2 million salary in 2025-26.

Mattias Samuelsson - This would be the boldest move to bail on Samuelsson entering the third year of a seven-year, $30 million contract, but the 25-year-old has continued to be plagued by injury issues and was healthy scratched by Ruff at times last season. Because of his age, the buyout would cost one-third of the remaining value of the deal spread over double the term left, instead of two-thirds.

With five years left, the cap penalty would count only $714,286 over the next 10 years.