Trades:
BUF-MIN: Sabres add speed and scoring to left side behind Skinner and strong 5x5 player; Wild get strong prospect with RH shot and offensive potential and speedy bottom 6 winger as well as mid-round draft pick.
BUF-LA: Sabres add winger with 2-way skills and finishing ability around the net similar to Reinhart's role on 1st line; a speedy bottom 6 young center with ability to play the wing; and 2 high picks. Toffoli's roots to Toronto area and Cup experience make it a fit for player and team in contract year. Kings get upgrade on defense for their top 4 behind Doughty and an offensive contributor, whose size and physicality fits in the West model that GM Blake modeled his career on; and a prospect with bottom 6 potential.
BUF-AZ: Housley's influence entices Coyotes to acquire remaining year of Sobotka's contract as veteran depth for bottom 6 in exchange for late draft pick.
BUF-MTL: Canadiens add veteran depth to blueline who's a native and on low-risk expiring contract in exchange for mid-round draft pick.
BUF-FLA: Sabres re-acquire former player with strong analytics, mobility and defensive presence for 3rd pairing; Panthers replace Pysyk with same age RHD for bottom pairing at $1.8M cap savings for free agency options as well as mid-round draft pick Sabres acquired from Montreal.
BUF-EDM: Sabres add a 29-year old creative player capable of center or wing and on expiring contract and someone who played under Krueger for 2 years in Edmonton along with mid-round draft pick; Oilers shed cap space and replace Gagner's bottom 6 minutes with a younger 2-way bottom 6 winger. Low-risk, high-reward potential for both teams with minimal commitments contractually on either side. Gagner buys a year of time for Mittelstadt to grow into the 2C role in 2020-21.
Free Agency:
As reported, Sabres sign young center for Rochester.
McCabe is resigned for defensive stability, physicality and leadership as defensive anchor for Montour's roaming.
Rodrigues is re-signed for his 2-way versatility and speed.
Ullmark is re-signed to a "show me" 2-year extension to allow time to see if he's a starter or not while Luukkonen develops in AHL.
Smith is re-signed to similar 2-year "show-me" contract, replacing Sheary's role in bottom 6 at less cap hit.
At training camp, Sabres have $6.0M of cap space under the ceiling.