The Buffalo Sabres took care of some contractual business prior to the NHL’s 5 pm Monday deadline to submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents. The club gave offers to forward Peyton Krebs and newly acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger, but did not do so with defensemen Zac Jones, and Nikita Novikov, and forwards Olivier Nadeau, and Issac Beliveau.

Krebs, 25, was extremely valuable for the Sabres last season, scoring a career-high 39 points, moving up and down the lineup, playing both center and wing, as well as being an antagonist and irritant to the opposition. With two years left until he qualifies for unrestricted free agency, the club may opt for salary arbitration, but will likely try to get him signed to a multi-year extension. 

Zellweger acquired from Anaheim for a second-round pick and minor leaguer Anton Wahlberg, and scored a career-high 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) for the Ducks in the final year of his entry-level deal. Not eligible for arbitration, the Sabres will also likely try to get the blueliner signed to a bridge deal.   

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Jones tied for the Amerks club lead in scoring with 62 points, and could attract some interest in a free agent market fairly thin on defensemen. Nadeau,  the Sabres fourth round pick in 2021, had 26 points for Rochester in his first full AHL season. Beliveau was a throw-in in the Conor Timmins / Conor Clifton deal last June, and Novikov was loaned to another AHL club late in the season and is rumored to be headed back to Russia.

The Sabres are not expected to bring back four other unrestricted free agents; winger Tanner Pearson, center David Kampf (acquired in the deal for Tuch), and defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. Forward Josh Dunne, who split time between Buffalo and AHL Rochester, will also be a UFA on Wednesday. 

In other news, the club announced on Tuesday additions to their management and scouting staff. Longtime Tampa Bay assistant GM Stacy Roest was named Director of Player Personnel and GM of the Rochester Americans. Roest had joined the Sabres in January as a scout after 12 years in various positions with the Lightning. 

Tim Kennedy was promoted from Development coach to Director of Player Development, and former Vancouver scout Neil Komadoski was named Asst. Director of Pro Scouting. Former NHLers Derek Dorsett and Jarkko Ruutu were named as Development coaches, while another infamous former NHLer, Milan Lucic, was named a pro scout. 

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