7 Takeaways | Adams, Forton preview Draft, look ahead to offseason

June is a busy month for Kevyn Adams and rest of the Buffalo Sabres front office.

Adams is meeting regularly with director of amateur scouting Jerry Forton and his department to finalize their list ahead of the NHL Draft, which will be held in Nashville next Wednesday and Thursday. He is negotiating with Buffalo's own pending free agents, having signed forwards Zemgus Girgensons and Lukas Rousek to new contracts on Tuesday.

And, as always, he is evaluating the marketplace for options to improve upon a roster that finished last season with 91 points, one shy of the Stanley Cup finalist Florida Panthers. While the Sabres have improved, his approach in that regard has remained steadfast.

"We're going to come from a position of strength," Adams said. "We feel that we are in a really good spot right now. I like the way our team's coming together.

"We want to improve. If deals make sense, then we're going to look at all scenarios. But in terms of compromising our sustainable success, I think you have to be really careful with that. And you guys (in the media) know me well enough now, I think you have to go into this very methodical, calm and flesh everything out and make sure that ultimately the decisions you make are because you really are on board with what that's going to do to help you win a Stanley Cup."

Adams met with the media Wednesday morning alongside Forton to discuss the upcoming draft, his approach to the offseason, and more. Here are seven takeaways.

1. The Sabres own the 13th-overall selection in what is widely considered a deep draft, particularly at forward. Adams and Forton both shared enthusiasm about the quality of players they expect will be available in that spot, be it at forward or on defense.

"I think there's a handful of defensemen in this draft that could be really good long-term NHL players that are worthy of top 15 picks in the NHL draft," Forton said.

2. The Sabres' philosophy, as always, will be to draft the best player available on their list regardless of position.

"We just get our list together, put the best players in our minds and order them the appropriate way, then go to the table and go to work," Adams said. "It's an exciting draft though for sure, especially the player that we feel we'll get at 13."

3. Adams did not rule out the possibility of trading the 13th pick if he and his staff felt the deal fit the parameters of helping the Sabres achieve their organizational goals.

"More times than not, it's better to keep your first-round pick and have that and build up your pipeline and that sustainable success is met by continuing to have that pipeline feeder in your organization," he said.

"But if we sat and really talked about a situation that came across that we felt was the right thing to help us move closer to winning a Stanley Cup, and it involved a first-round pick, then we would do it."

4. The Sabres re-signed Girgensons to a one-year contract worth $2.5 million on Tuesday. The move reunited their leadership core, with the team having previously signed captain Kyle Okposo to a new one-year contract on May 25.

"He does so many things that make an impact on our team, on and off the ice," Adams said. "He does not cheat the game. If you are looking at the hockey player, he plays a really important role. He's so consistent. The guy is so competitive. Everything matters to him. And he cares so much about this organization.

"… Then the person, the leader, the consistency of just his professionalism every day, I think is something that I felt was important, continuing to build moving forward, that our young players will learn from. And he's excited. You know speaking to him yesterday, he really believes that we are about to take a step. And he's put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this organization."

5. Adams expressed interest in re-signing Tyson Jost, another forward who settled into a two-way role upon joining the Sabres off waivers in November. Jost is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason.

"We've made it clear to Tyson and his agent that we'd like to have him back," Adams said. "We've had those conversations over the past couple weeks. Hopefully we'll get some clarity on that in the coming days here."

6.Adams also reiterated his intention of signing Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power to contract extensions, a point he made to them at the conclusion of the season. Adams and his staff met with both defensemen's agents during the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month.

"We've made it clear to them we see them as really important people and pieces of our franchise moving forward and they've made it clear to us they want to be here, so we'll keep working on it," he said. "But I'm excited about those guys."

7. Adams was asked for his perspective on the Sabres' goaltending situation, with three returning netminders under contract in Eric Comrie, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Devon Levi.

"Personally believe we're in a position of strength," Adams said. "When it comes to this, we feel that we have three NHL goaltenders, which is a great thing to have. So, we're open minded."

"… If there's something we think will help us now and set us up for sustainable success, then we'll look at it. But I'm excited about the goaltending position to be honest with you going into the season."