Sabres trade Kesselring to Sharks; move up in NHL Draft order

Key Points:

• The Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Michael Kesselring to the San Jose Sharks, along with swapping first-round draft picks, moving Buffalo to the 20th overall pick and San Jose to 27th in this year's draft.
• Kesselring struggled with injuries throughout the season, playing only 34 games with minimal impact, and was often a healthy scratch during the playoffs; his role diminished due to the rise of other defensemen like Mattias Samuelsson and re-signing of Bo Byram.
• The Sabres face salary cap challenges with multiple key players to re-sign, including Kesselring (a restricted free agent), Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs, and Beck Malenstyn, while also managing the contract of winger Alex Tuch.
• Winger Josh Doan, acquired in the trade alongside Kesselring, exceeded expectations by scoring 25 goals and 52 points last season, becoming a fan favorite and earning a seven-year, $48.65 million contract extension with Buffalo.
• JJ Peterka, initially considered the best player in the trade, had a solid season with Utah, scoring 25 goals and 47 points, but Doan has proven to be the more impactful player for Buffalo.