It’s been no secret that the Buffalo Sabres have been interested in adding defensive help for the upcoming season. And, according to at least one report, the organization may be keying in on one player to add to the roster.
According to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News, the team is trying to bring in the 28-year old to the mix to play alongside the youth that currently inhabits the Sabres’ defensive unit. The current offer, Harrington says, is a two-year deal; no monetary values we’re mentioned.
#Sabres could use another veteran D. Have two sources saying they're trying to land FA Cody Franson by offering two-year deal.
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) August 27, 2015
Franson has spent seven years in the NHL, splitting time between Toronto and Nashville. In 400 career games, Franson has tallied 35 goals and 134 assists for 169 points. With the Sabres, Franson would instantly be inserted into the team’s six defenders alongside Rasmus Ristolainen, Zach Bogosian, Josh Gorges, Mark Pysyk, Carlo Colaiacovo and Mike Weber. There is also the possibility of Jake McCabe playing well enough to earn a spot on the roster, bumping one or more of the aforementioned players out of the lineup.
Should Franson be brought into the fold, questions would be even more frequent regarding which players won’t have a spot on the Sabres roster come opening night against Ottawa.
The offseason has been full of excitement for the Sabres ever since they finished dead last in the standings for the second straight season. Not only did the team select center Jack Eichel with the second-overall selection, but general manager Tim Murray also brought in Colaiacovo, centers Ryan O’Reilly and David Legwand, winger Jamie McGinn and goaltender Robin Lehner, among other moves.
With the changes being made, it’s hard to assume that Buffalo will find itself at the bottom of the standings for the third year in a row. Then again, no one will know until the games start for real in October.
