We haven’t officially hit the NHL offseason yet, but the rumor mill has been running wild when it comes to the Buffalo Sabres. With major question marks to address, this will be a pivotal offseason for the franchise in its quest to make the playoffs for the first time in a millennia (14 seasons and counting).
One of the major names to hit free agency will be Mitch Marner, who has been a rumor mill all his own. Some Sabres fans feel like signing Marner could be a big boost for the team and get them on the right path to make the playoffs. The reality is that fans need to get that idea out of their heads because a Marner signing isn’t happening.
The Sabres Aren’t Historically Big Spenders
The most common rhetoric among Sabres fans is to just offer Marner a contract of $14 million or more per season. While money does talk, it is never that easy when it comes to the Sabres. Cap space is valuable, but only if you actually plan to maximize that space.
Over the past five seasons, the Sabres have been a combined $60 million under the cap. There have been rumors for years that owner Terry Pegula has set an internal cap that isn’t where the league-wide cap is. Simply offering Marner that kind of contract would be a step away from what the Sabres have traditionally done.
Even then, there are enough offers that will be out there that Marner can probably make something comparable in a much better situation. This isn’t a situation where the Sabres can simply outspend everyone, and more than likely wouldn’t even do that if that were an option.
Marner Will Have No Interest in This Tire Fire
Summarizing the mess that is the Sabres in three paragraphs is virtually impossible. It has been well publicized how awful things have gone over the last 14 seasons, and there is no way to undersell just how much of a mess the franchise is.
Why would Marner want to leave a successful (albeit stressful) team in Toronto for one that can’t get out of its own way? Marner has already been linked to a number of successful teams, with deals apparently almost happening at the deadline.
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The Sabres aren’t one piece away from making the playoffs, let alone contending. Marner wants to win a championship, and it will be years before the Sabres fit the bill in even the most ideal of scenarios. Even $15 million per season isn’t enough to wash away the misery that comes with being a Sabre.
The Sabres Have Internal Issues to Handle
It would be one thing if the Sabres had all of their in-house ducks lined up, but that’s far from the case. Alex Tuch will be eligible for a new contract on July 1, and sentiment is that he may not want to see this rebuild through. J.J. Peterka seems to be the focal point of everyone’s trade speculation, making it seem like a foregone conclusion that he’s out the door. That’s just the beginning of the issues.
Signing Marner with all that going on is wishful thinking, at best. The Sabres need to figure out a new contract for Peterka and Tuch (if they are even willing to stay at this point). They need to figure out what to do with Bowen Byram. Oh, and they need to add a top-six forward and top-four defenseman. No big deal.
More Pain Ahead in Buffalo
It is very understandable that fans of the Sabres are tired and impatient. They want to win now and get back into the playoffs. Adding Marner would be a massive move, but it has the same level of possibility behind it as trading for Connor McDavid. It simply will not happen.
The unfortunate reality for the Sabres is that they will not be a destination until they consistently win and contend. For Sabres fans, that means having to hope that management can finally make the right decisions and bring in the necessary pieces to win without being able to make a big splash in free agency.
