On Wednesday afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres announced they have acquired the No. 20 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the San Jose Sharks. In exchange, Buffalo is sending 6-foot-5 defenseman Michael Kesselring and the No. 27 overall pick to San Jose.
We have acquired a first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Michael Kesselring and a first-round pick.
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) June 17, 2026
Details → https://t.co/aBtQkV4yiN pic.twitter.com/86l23tBnpU
The Sabres originally acquired Kesselring from the Utah Mammoth last summer in a blockbuster deal. However, Kesselring's tenure in Buffalo was severely derailed by injuries, primarily a lingering ankle issue. He was limited to just 34 regular-season games during the 2025-26 campaign, recording two assists, and only saw 4:25 of ice time in his lone playoff appearance.
Originally a sixth-round pick (No. 164 overall) of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2018 NHL Draft, the 6’5″ Kesselring never played for his draft club before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes in 2023. He spent parts of two seasons in the desert and moved with his teammates to Utah for the 2024-25 season before being dealt to Buffalo; he is now a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.