NHL Player, Pick Swap
Buffalo Sabres Trade Kesselring and 2026 No. 27 Pick to San Jose for No. 20 Selection
Key Points
Kesselring arrived in Buffalo last summer as part of a larger swap with Utah, coming from the Utah Mammoth alongside forward Josh Doan in exchange for forward JJ Peterka—an expectation that he would be a key piece of the defense.
Buffalo’s playoff usage shows how he fell out of the rotation: he played only one postseason game and was a healthy scratch for all but one of the Sabres’ 13 playoff contests.
In Buffalo’s competitive defensive depth, Kesselring battled for minutes/roster time alongside acquisitions at the deadline: Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn (both acquired from Winnipeg), who were also set to become unrestricted free agents.
On the contract side, Kesselring’s recent deal with San Jose’s incoming club context included a cap hit of $1.4 million on a two-year, $2.8 million contract, and he was described as a restricted free agent—while averaging 13:24 of ice time this season.
Kesselring also brings international success to the Sharks: the Florence, S.C., native helped Team USA end a 92-year drought by winning gold at the 2025 World Championship.
The Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Michael Kesselring and the No. 27 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the San Jose Sharks on June 17 in exchange for the No. 20 pick, according to Buffalo Hockey Beat. Buffalo moves up seven spots in the first round, entering what scouts call a "high-ceiling" tier of the draft class.
Kesselring, 26, struggled through a brutal injury year in Buffalo — recording just two assists in 34 games and averaging only 13:24 of ice time. He was a healthy scratch for 12 of the Sabres' 13 playoff games, Buffalo Hockey Beat reported. Now he heads to San Jose, where the Sharks are building around sophomore star Macklin Celebrini.
Kesselring's Injury-Wrecked Season Made Him Expendable
Kesselring arrived in Buffalo last summer with high expectations. He came over from the Utah Mammoth — along with forward Josh Doan — in exchange for forward JJ Peterka, Audacy reported. The plan was for the 6-foot-5, 215-pound right-shot defender to anchor the right side alongside Owen Power.
It fell apart fast. Kesselring suffered a knee injury in training camp, missing the first nine games. He then re-injured a high ankle sprain mid-season, which Expected Buffalo says "robbed him of the lateral mobility" needed for Lindy Ruff's high-tempo system. His ice time dropped from over 18:00 per game with Utah to just 13:24 in Buffalo. Head coach Ruff said the injuries made it "hard for him to catch the pace of our top four."
Sabres Move Up to Chase a Better Draft Prospect
Buffalo's new GM Jarmo Kekäläinen made this his first major draft-week move. By giving up pick No. 27 and Kesselring, he jumped to No. 20 — a spot that puts Buffalo in range for elite OHL forwards like Jaxon Cover, according to Daily Faceoff. Buffalo now enters the June 26-27 draft at home with picks 20, 124, 156, and 188.
Insiders say Kekäläinen viewed Kesselring as "expendable" given the rise of rookie Zach Metsa, Buffalo Hockey Beat reported. Buffalo's defense remains deep — Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Bowen Byram, and Mattias Samuelsson are all under contract. The trade clears a path for Metsa to take on a full-time top-six role.
Sharks Buy Low on a Defender Who Won World Championship Gold
For San Jose, this is a calculated bet on a player whose value was hurt by one bad season. Sharks GM Mike Grier called Kesselring "a big frame with solid two-way ability" who brings "championship experience" to a young core, per NHL.com. San Jose improved by 32 points in 2025-26, finishing with 86 points, and wants to keep that momentum going.
Just 13 months ago, Kesselring helped Team USA end a 92-year gold medal drought at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Stockholm. The Sharks were thin at right-shot defense heading into this offseason, with their only right-handed options set to be unrestricted free agents, according to Locked On Sharks. Kesselring is a restricted free agent on a $1.4 million cap hit and is expected to sign a bridge deal worth $2–$2.5 million.
A Trade That Cuts Both Ways Depending Who You Ask
Buffalo fans are split. Some argue the Sabres are "selling low" on a player who just won World Championship gold a year ago and whose struggles came from injuries, not talent, per fan site Die by the Blade. Others point out that Josh Doan — the other piece of the original Utah trade — scored 25 goals and became a top-six fixture, softening the blow.
Locked On Sharks framed the move as San Jose winning on "asset management" — turning a previously acquired pick into a 26-year-old NHL defender plus a late first-rounder. For Buffalo, the math is simple: Kesselring could not skate the way Ruff needed him to, and pick No. 20 may be worth more than pick No. 27 and a struggling defender put together.
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