5 NHL teams that disappointed the most in free agency ft. Buffalo Sabres

By Cole Shelton

Modified Jul 05, 2024 15:57 GMT

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The first wave of NHL free agency is over as the 32 teams spent over $1 billion on July 1. However, some teams weren't active and haven't been since to improve their team.

Although there are two more months of the offseason before training camps open, some teams have disappointed in free agency and don't seem likely to make the playoffs.

5 NHL teams that disappointed the most in free agency

#1. Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres have not made the playoffs in 13 years and many expected them to be active to try and get them into the playoffs.

However, Buffalo wasn't active in free agency as it bought out Jeff Skinner and signed Jason Zucker, Sam Lafferty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, but none of them are impact forwards.

Buffalo has somehow gotten worse on paper and it doesn't seem like it will make the playoffs.

#2. Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are in a tough spot as they have a lot of money tied up to their core but they can't get over the hump by beating the Edmonton Oilers.

LA did do a good job getting off Pierre-Luc Dubois' contract for Darcy Kuemper. However, the Kings saw Matt Roy leave in free agency and then handed out multi-year deals to Warren Foegele and Joel Edmundson. Both got over $3 million per season which seems like an overpay as LA seems to have gotten worse.

#3. Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg hasn't signed a marquee free agent (Imagn)

The Winnipeg Jets have had a disappointing offseason.

Winnipeg has seen Tyler Toffoli, Brendon Dillon, Sean Monahan and Laurent Brossoit leave in free agency. All the Jets have done to replace them is sign Eric Cormie and Kaapo Kahkonen to battle for the backup goalie.

Top prospect Rutger McGroarty has also asked for a trade.

#4. Vegas Golden Knights

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

The Vegas Golden Knights who won the Stanley Cup two seasons ago are nowhere to be found. Vegas saw Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, Alec Martinez, and Anthony Mantha walk in free agency while they traded Logan Thompson to Washington.

All Vegas has done is sign Ilya Samsonov to back up Adin Hill and depth forward Zach Aston-Reese. It hasn't been a great offseason for Vegas.

#5. Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes have had a disappointing offseason as Carolina couldn't re-sign Jake Guentzel, while Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, and Stefan Noesen all left in free agency. Martin Necas has also asked for a trade.

All Carolina did was sign Sean Walker and Shane Gostisbehere who are solid defenders but a step down from Pesce and Skjei.