The Stanley Cup Final is still underway, but the offseason has begun for the other 30 teams across the NHL. And it’s hard to find a team as fascinating as the Sabres will be this summer. After ending a league-record, 14-season playoff drought, the Sabres have a ton of offseason questions to answer. Alex Tuch is a pending unrestricted free agent and arguably the best player in this free-agent class. Beck Malenstyn is an unrestricted free agent, too. And Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs and Michael Kesselring are among the notable restricted free agents the Sabres have to deal with. Plus, Bowen Byram is extension eligible again and is one year away from being an unrestricted free agent.

We touched on some of those topics in our notebook from the NHL Scouting Combine. Now we’re diving into the mailbag to answer some other offseason questions. This one will need multiple parts as I sift through the long list of inquiries you all had. Here’s part one.

Note: Submitted questions may be edited for clarity and style.

If Dylan Larkin is on the market, does that make Robert Thomas’ price a little more reasonable? — Fred D.

The last few days have shown that sometimes the idea of someone being on the trade block is more fun than the reality. Over the weekend, Andy Strickland reported that the Blues aren’t making Thomas available for trade, and he will be on the team to start the regular season. Of course, there have been similar reports in the past about players who have eventually moved, but logic tells you that trading a 26-year-old No. 1 center who has a reasonable contract with plenty of term doesn’t make a lot of sense. Unless Thomas wants out (and nothing is indicating that’s the case), the Blues shouldn’t be looking to move him.

That brings us to Larkin, who has asked to be traded from the Detroit Red Wings. The soon-to-be 30-year-old has five straight 30-goal seasons, recently won a gold medal with Team USA and would be capable of being a top-line center for the Sabres. The hang-up here is that he has a no-trade clause, and that could give him a degree of control over where he gets traded. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman can dig in a bit, but Larkin can nix any trade. But if he really wants to get traded, Yzerman might be able to strong-arm him into a team that offers the best package.

The Sabres will have a few things working against them here. One is that Yzerman probably doesn’t want to trade him within the division if he can avoid it. Another is that other teams will be higher on Larkin’s list. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reported on Monday that Larkin has a short list of three preferred teams, and she believes those teams are the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild.

The Sabres are a more attractive destination than they have been in a long time after ending the playoff drought and putting Buffalo back on the map as one of the best hockey markets in the United States. And in Larkin’s case, Buffalo is close to home, and his Team USA teammate Tage Thompson could play on his wing. But this particular trade scenario looks like wishful thinking unless Larkin is forced to expand his list at some point. The Sabres do have a nice blend of veteran players and prospects they could offer to create a competitive trade package if that’s the case.

What’s a legit trade package we could offer to get Dylan Larkin? — Tyler M.

As unrealistic as it may be, trade scenarios are fun to talk about this time of year. Considering the Red Wings now have the longest playoff drought in the NHL, it’s hard to imagine Yzerman wanting a package that is focused strictly on futures. That’s where the Sabres would actually be a decent fit. If Bowen Byram isn’t willing to sign long-term this summer, is he a player that you could build a deal around? What about Josh Norris, a Michigan native and University of Michigan product? Jack Quinn is a skilled winger who would fit in the age window of Detroit’s core. Plus, the Sabres have prospects like Radim Mrtka along with their first-round pick in this draft. If they wanted to, the Sabres could beat a lot of the competitive offers out there for Larkin. I’d start my offer with Byram, Quinn and a first-round pick and see where that got me.

Why did it seem like Michael Kesselring was — even when finally healthy — in Lindy Ruff’s doghouse? His size, skating ability, hands and physicality seemed like a good fit on the third pair of a D corps that values all of the above. Was there an attitude problem? — Donn. E

Kesselring wasn’t happy to be out of the lineup down the stretch, but with everything on the line, I don’t think Ruff was keeping him off the ice because of that. Kesselring came back too quickly from a knee injury early in the season and then had a high-ankle sprain that forced him to miss more time. He came back too fast from that and ended up aggravating it. And those injuries made it tough for him to ever find his rhythm. While that was happening, the Sabres’ top four of Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Bowen Byram got into a nice rhythm. It was hard for Kesselring to adjust to what Ruff wanted from a third-pair defenseman after he came into training camp expecting to be a top-four, offensive-minded defenseman for the Sabres. Ruff lost some faith in Kesselring’s ability to manage the puck and play mistake-free hockey.

That said, it would be unwise to write off Kesselring given the injuries he was dealing with and the fact that he was adjusting to a new team. Even if he’s not thrilled with how the season ended, he’s a restricted free agent, and the Sabres control his rights. His qualifying offer is $1.4 million, a price that’s more than fair for a defenseman who still has a ton of upside. And given that Byram is in the final year of his contract before he could become an unrestricted free agent, the Sabres should be hanging onto Kesselring unless they have another plan to acquire a defenseman capable of playing in the top four.

Konsta Helenius had a great year in the AHL and then looked great in the playoffs and at worlds. Do we need to pump the brakes on the hype a little, or is he truly an “untouchable” prospect? Is his ceiling an 80-plus point 1C or more of a high-end middle six C? — Robert P.

Helenius had a fantastic spring and is deserving of the hype he’s gotten. It’s OK to be excited about a player who’s fresh off a point-per-game season in the AHL as a 19-year-old and looked ready for the moment at both the playoffs and the World Championship. But I don’t think you can consider any prospect untouchable when you are a team entering a window of contention, the way the Sabres are. That doesn’t mean the Sabres should be eager to trade him. I’d put him in the tier of prospect I’m only trading if I can get a proven, top-of-the-lineup forward in return. Otherwise, I think he has a chance to become a top-line player for the Sabres long-term. And if he doesn’t hit that 80-plus point ceiling, there’s a strong probability he becomes a fixture in Buffalo’s middle six. His competitiveness, speed and skill already suggest he’s capable of playing there next season.

I realize all the buzz is around Helenius, but what role do you see Noah Östlund playing next year? And what do you think is his realistic upside (not just for next year)? — Anonymous

I see Östlund as a winger next season, likely somewhere in the middle six. Östlund struggled with faceoffs last season, so I think it makes sense to keep him on the wing for now. I also love the way he forechecks battles along the boards. The biggest question for Östlund is whether he can stay healthy for a full season. He’s dealt with injuries at every stop in his professional career, including back in Sweden. That’s bound to happen when you’re Östlund’s size and play with the doggedness that he does. He’s fearless, and it’s part of what makes him such an exciting playmaker. With age and some added strength, the hope is that he can become a more durable player. That would probably help him in the faceoff circle, too. He’s more than capable of being a center long-term.

Jersey rankings: Do you prefer blue and gold or red and black? — John R.

The red and black jerseys have grown on me, and I appreciate how often the Sabres wear them. It’s nice to have an alternate jersey that is a real contrast to the primary jerseys and also brings with it some nostalgia. It’s a long season, so it’s good to mix up the look now and again. But the Sabres have a clean and classic look with the royal blue and gold. It’s in the top tier of jerseys in the NHL, in my opinion, so it’s hard for me to pick against it.

Can we get a Prokhor Poltapov update? Would any roster decisions (Tuch walking = less competition up front?) impact his decision to come over sooner? — Dan P.

Poltapov has one more year left on the contract he signed in the KHL. I expect that he will play out that deal. He’ll turn 24 in the middle of next season, so the end of next season would be a logical time for him to consider making the jump to the NHL if that’s something that interests him. At that point, he could probably skip the AHL and jump right into a bottom-six role in Buffalo. He plays a hard, heavy game and is willing to get to the tough areas of the ice, so I imagine he’ll be a player Jarmo Kekäläinen likes. The Sabres have remained in contact with him and show interest. But it’s hard to know what he will decide to do.

How much thrash metal is played in the locker room? — Cat Loaf

I can’t say I heard much, if any, thrash metal coming from the Sabres locker room this season. They seem like more of a country music bunch from what I gather. Jon Pardi’s “When I’ve Been Drinkin’” was the song the team played in the locker room after every win this season. And I’ll probably never be able to hear that song without thinking of the 2025-26 Sabres as a result.