Could Trade for $22M Veteran Forward Be What the Sabres Need?

The Buffalo Sabres are searching for a top-six forward with edge and scoring ability after trading winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. Early free agency didn’t deliver a solution, leaving GM Kevyn Adams to explore trades or in-season additions to fill the void.

One name generating buzz, at least according to Michael Augello of the Hockey News, is Tyler Bertuzzi.

The 30-year-old winger has built a career as the type of player every contender wants when games get heavy. Bertuzzi has been known as a scrappy, physical, and skilled winger who has skill but isn’t afraid to get a little dirty. He would add another weapon to the Sabres power play and he’s proven capable of production regardless of where he plays. Successful stints with Detroit, Boston, and Toronto, should give the Sabres confidence he can leave a less potent offense in Chicago and succeed with the Sabres mix of forwards.

Bertuzzi scored 15 goals with 24 assists over 79 games while leading the Blackhawks in penalty minutes last season. He’s locked into a new $22 million deal and brings energy, accountability, and a physical presence.

Chicago’s rebuild makes Bertuzzi potentially movable, especially with three years remaining on his contract and a team timeline focused on younger players like Connor Bedard. For Buffalo, he would fill a clear need: a physical middle-six forward who can protect skill players and provide a backbone on and off the ice.

The cost would likely be high. Sources suggest a realistic package could include rookie center Noah Östlund, right-shot defenseman Adam Kleber, and Buffalo’s 2026 second-round pick.

Bertuzzi is not be a superstar, nor is he among the top 20 wingers in the NHL. Still, for the cost and the production, he’s not a bad bet. His combination of grit, skill, and veteran experience could make him exactly what the Sabres need.

He does hold a 10-team no-trade clause as part of his contract, so the question becomes — as it often does with the Sabres — if he would be willing to waive his no-trade to go there.

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