Sabres are a cap team

[dudacek]

Here's something that should be significant, no?

[tom webster]

They have over $12M in playoff cap space so they should be fine. It doesn’t change the narrative about their spending though, doesn’t it.

[dudacek]

Well, we know EEE was a real thing, and there was still skepticism around here as to whether it had been lifted as recently as this fall.

Personally, I see it as the second-most significant sign we have rejoined the ranks of real NHL franchises.

The first, obviously, being the standings.

[Taro T]

11 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Here's something that should be significant, no?

 

6 minutes ago, tom webster said:

They have over $12M in playoff cap space so they should be fine. It doesn’t change the narrative about their spending though, doesn’t it.

Without the 3rd or 4th most injuries in the league this year, they'd be well off the cap this season.  But we knew they were spending more than in the 2nd - 5th years of the Adams era as they headed into the season with only about $5MM in cap space after always having IIRC at least $8MM when the season ended those prior 4 years.

They're still going to have a ton of playoff cap space regardless of what lineup they dress come April 17.

And next year, they might even have to use the BF-LTIR designation for the 1st time in at least 6 years.  Welcome back to the NHL Buffalo.

[Skibum]

At the moment, it is looking like money well spent. 

[Nacho Libre]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

Well, we know EEE was a real thing, and there was still skepticism around here as to whether it had been lifted as recently as this fall.

Personally, I see it as the second-most significant sign we have rejoined the ranks of real NHL franchises.

The first, obviously, being the standings.

Both come after canning Adams. Both symptomatic of such 

[DarthEbriate]

Carolina has little to no defensive depth and left $8M cap (not even playoff cap) on the table. Yes, they’re doing great, and everyone’s remarkably healthy…. But it looks fishy. It’ll look fishier when Boston/Ottawa steamrolls them in the first round by targeting their d-men. 

[Captain Caveman]

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

Here's something that should be significant, no?

I wonder if this includes Greenway coming back?

Edited March 7 by Captain Caveman

[JustOneParade]

20 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Carolina has little to no defensive depth and left $8M cap (not even playoff cap) on the table. Yes, they’re doing great, and everyone’s remarkably healthy…. But it looks fishy. It’ll look fishier when Boston/Ottawa steamrolls them in the first round by targeting their d-men. 

So it’s conceivable that Carolina gets knocked out of a Cup run because of injuries to its D corp? Karma’s a (long overdue) b!tch!

[Taro T]

16 hours ago, Captain Caveman said:

I wonder if this includes Greenway coming back?

Every player that is in Buffalo at present (including the guys in visa purgatory) counts against the cap.  The Sabres are under the Salary Cap at present with all of them counting against it, so they are not using the BF-LTIR exemption to exceed the cap.  They're already under the cap and will stay there unless they need to make at least 5 more injury callups from the Amerks.

So, this has nothing to do with a possible return of Greenway to the lineup and doesn't give us any info as to whether he's close or will be out until October.

[French Collection]

3 hours ago, JustOneParade said:

So it’s conceivable that Carolina gets knocked out of a Cup run because of injuries to its D corp? Karma’s a (long overdue) b!tch!

And meet the Stars in the finals.

[SabreFinn]

On 3/7/2026 at 8:45 PM, DarthEbriate said:

Carolina has little to no defensive depth and left $8M cap (not even playoff cap) on the table. Yes, they’re doing great, and everyone’s remarkably healthy…. But it looks fishy. It’ll look fishier when Boston/Ottawa steamrolls them in the first round by targeting their d-men. 

Brind'Amour was not happy. Can't remember I've heard a coach express his disappointment over a front office like that before. 

[Captain Caveman]

6 hours ago, Taro T said:

Every player that is in Buffalo at present (including the guys in visa purgatory) counts against the cap.  The Sabres are under the Salary Cap at present with all of them counting against it, so they are not using the BF-LTIR exemption to exceed the cap.  They're already under the cap and will stay there unless they need to make at least 5 more injury callups from the Amerks.

So, this has nothing to do with a possible return of Greenway to the lineup and doesn't give us any info as to whether he's close or will be out until October.

yes, i Was more just wondering if they had that space to work with should they have made another trade...
 

[Taro T]

Sorry, misunderstood.

 

Yes.  They could've brought in nearly another $5MM worth of contract without having to put anybody on BF-LTIR nor send any money out the door via trading a rostered player away.