Sabres, Senators Push for Impact Wingers as Roster Arms Race Heats Up

The Buffalo Sabres are revisiting their interest in Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies as the team faces uncertainty around Alex Tuch's contract status heading into the offseason. Per reporting from Expected Buffalo, the Sabres engaged in trade talks for Knies around the 2026 deadline and are now prepared to revive those discussions, potentially deploying the same package of quality assets they've considered in other forward acquisitions—including a separate flirtation with St. Louis's Robert Thomas. Knies checks multiple boxes for Buffalo: he's 24 years old, carries offensive upside with a physical, net-front game, and commands a salary well below market rate for his production tier, making him a cost-effective replacement if Tuch's future remains unresolved.

Meanwhile, Ottawa has locked in on Mason McTavish as a solution to a glaring top-six gap. The Senators have cycled through undersized options like Claude Giroux and David Perron throughout 2025-26, neither providing the speed or consistent production the club needs. McTavish, the 2021 third-overall pick now 23, fits the physical profile and positional flexibility the organization wants. Growing up in Carp, Ontario—just outside Ottawa—he also carries hometown appeal. The 2025-26 season was a wash for McTavish: 41 points in 75 games, with healthy scratches during the playoffs following a contract dispute that cost him most of training camp. His depressed production and available trade status (no protection clause) make him vulnerable at the negotiating table.

The mechanics of both moves carry real implications for lineup construction and ice time. If Buffalo lands Knies, he's an instant top-six winger whose volume of shots and assists will rise immediately alongside players like Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner. McTavish in Ottawa opens positional flexibility—he can slot as a winger or allow Dylan Cozens to move to the wing, deepening the Senators' scoring depth beyond their established Stützle-Cozens-Pinto center trio. Both teams are betting on youth and positional versatility to unlock offensive output they didn't generate at their previous stops.

For prop bettors, these roster moves signal a sharp recalibration of team-total expectations and individual shot volume. If Knies joins Buffalo, expect his anytime-goal and shots-on-goal lines to rise by 0.5–1.0 shots per game simply due to increased minutes against second-pairing defensemen and more frequent power-play inclusion. The Sabres' offensive profile becomes more explosive if they execute this deal—a team that finished outside playoff contention last season would have genuine scoring punch. Similarly, McTavish's acquisition in Ottawa doesn't immediately spike his own production (he'd need time to integrate and rebalance his chemistry), but it signals the Senators believe their offensive machinery is cap-constrained and top-six shallow. Watch for McTavish's shot volume initially staying flat or declining as he transitions to wing and eases into system integration.

The timing of these moves matters: both are offseason acquisitions, not mid-season trades, meaning lines haven't yet adjusted to reflect the new rosters. Early 2026-27 season projections for Sabres and Senators team totals will likely still price in last year's depth charts. Bettors who fade the market's opening estimates for these teams' offensive output in favor of +1.5 to +2.0 shot-volume increases per night on a 20-25 game sample have a genuine structural edge before oddsmakers fully digest the lineup turnover.