Not many things have gone the Buffalo Sabres’ way this season. They’ve been ravaged by a host of injuries, have massively underperformed at times and haven’t been able to find any kind of consistency. But fortunately for them, not all is lost. A number of teams will have a hard time at the upcoming trade deadline because they either don’t have the salary cap space to make trades or the assets needed to make them happen.
The Sabres are fortunate enough to have both. Buffalo currently has over $8 million in available cap space, an abundance of minor league prospects and a 2024 first-round selection that they can afford to part ways with. But is there any point in the team even making an effort? As of Jan. 12, the Sabres are 18-20-4, seven points out of the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot. Though that’s hardly an insurmountable deficit, their work is more than cut out for them and Moneypuck.com puts their postseason odds at just 9.5%.
If their struggles continue, they’ll likely end up being sellers on March 8 and will try to clear out space that they’ll need going forward. But if they can turn it around and rise a bit through the standings, there’s a good chance that they’ll look to make an upgrade. Several players that fit the team’s needs will reportedly be available going forward, some being realistic options and some being more farfetched. Let’s start with the former.
Jake Allen
It appears that veteran Jake Allen is on the cusp of being moved due to a logjam in Montreal. The Canadiens look to be positioning Cayden Primeau (nephew of former Sabre Wayne Primeau) as their goaltender of the future and signed Samuel Montembeault to an extension in December. Though he has helped them get back to a better standing, this makes Allen the odd man out by default and he would be a great option for Buffalo if he waives his no-trade clause.
The Sabres desperately need to shield youngster Devon Levi, whose potential is hurt more and more with every blowout loss coach Don Granato forces him to endure. He simply isn’t capable of being a full-time starter at this point and though Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has shown that perhaps he can be, the Sabres refuse to hand him the reins. Bringing in an established, proven veteran would allow them to send Levi to the American Hockey League (AHL), which is where he should have been to begin this season. It was also to give Luukkonen the protection he needed in the lineup.
Allen hasn’t had the best campaign for Montreal and that’s probably why the Habs are looking to unload him. But with one season left on his contract and a $3.9 million cap hit, he’d be an affordable option for the Sabres and they could easily acquire him for a third or fourth-round pick. If Montreal for some reason wanted another goalie in return, Eric Comrie could be added as well. Allen wouldn’t be anything more than a table setter, make no mistake about it, but that’s precisely what this team needs right now.
The Ottawa Sun reported in December that the Sabres are exploring their options and have already inquired about Allen’s availability, making it all the more intriguing (from “GM Brad Treliving never rests in search to help the Leafs’ defensive core”, The Ottawa Sun, 12/5/23). Even if his subpar play continued in Buffalo, he’d still be doing the team’s other goaltenders a valuable service. If they want a veteran to come in and right the ship, he’s their best bet.
Karel Vejmelka
Allen isn’t the only goaltender of note whose name is being floated around. Karel Vejmelka entered this season as the Arizona Coyotes’ number-one guy but has found himself supplanted by Connor Ingram, who emerged from out of nowhere and has become a sensation. The Coyotes have elevated significantly with Ingram between the pipes and suddenly his counterpart no longer seems vital.
However, Ingram’s successes have been in a somewhat small sample size and it might not be wise for Arizona to hand him the keys just yet. But if they do decide to move on from Vejmelka, the Sabres should take note and he gives them a different type of option than Allen. The 2015 fifth-round pick is in the second season of a three-year extension he signed in March 2022 and carries a cap hit of just $2.75 million. His statistics this season aren’t sparkling but he definitely has an appeal.
Vejmelka, who ironically made his NHL debut against Buffalo in 2021, is the definition of a late bloomer. Though 27, he’s in just his third professional season and therefore lacks the experience the Sabres are in dire need of. However, his incipiency could be an advantage. Allen has struggled since coming to Montreal and it could be that the best days of his career are behind him. The Czech, on the other hand, is just getting started and there’s a chance that he’s yet to reach his full potential.
The Sabres would still be making a gamble but Vejmelka has a higher ceiling than Allen at the moment and could serve an even greater purpose. Even if they’re destined to remain where they are in the standings, he could still take the weight off of their current tandem and has the potential to become a solid platoon option should he succeed. It seems that the Sabres’ brass are determined to stay the course with Levi, but they’re risking far too much in doing so and need to reconsider that plan.
Mario Ferraro
The woes of the San Jose Sharks have gotten even worse this season and they’re currently dead-last in the league with a 10-29-3 record. They dealt superstar and reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in a blockbuster over the summer and are expected to make even more deals this season as a major deadline seller. A number of players will draw interest but expect Mario Ferraro to be at the top. Now in his fifth season in the Bay Area, he has been one of the only positives in what has been a doleful campaign for the Sharks and emerged as a standout.
As a defenseman, the 25-year-old is the embodiment of old-time hockey. Tenacious, hardworking and rugged, he never shies away from throwing a check and excels at blocking shots. He doesn’t pay much mind to offense since he focuses on playing his position and his current minus-26 rating doesn’t reflect how good he is at that. After all, he plays defense for the team that has allowed the most goals in the NHL (173). He leads the Sharks in time on ice at over 22 minutes a game.
If Ferraro becomes available, the Sabres would be foolish to not pursue him. They brought in Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton to shore up the issues in their own zone, but they’ve managed to persist and may have even gotten worse. Mattias Samuelsson, who had emerged as the team’s stay-at-home anchor opposite Rasmus Dahlin, has regressed significantly and Henri Jokiharju has struggled to compensate for Owen Power’s erratic play. Ferraro would help shoulder the weight and would take a considerable amount of pressure off the others.
The Sharks wouldn’t give up Ferraro for peanuts but he isn’t a big enough name to command a huge return and the Sabres could afford him easily. He carries a manageable $3.3 million cap hit and is under contract through 2026 thanks to a four-year extension former Sabre and current Sharks’ general manager Mike Grier signed him to in 2022. Fans in Buffalo would welcome a player like him with arms wide open.
Of all the trade scenarios on this list, Ferraro is the one I would make without question. But while there are players that would make plenty of sense for Buffalo to acquire given their current status, there are also a couple of more far-fetched possibilities that still would check all the boxes. The following two may seem very unlikely, but if the Sabres can rise in the standings, don’t count out either of the following as well.
Elias Lindholm
The once-promising Calgary Flames appear on the cusp of going into rebuilding mode and a number of their high-profile players are reportedly being shopped. Elias Lindholm is having a down year by his own standards but is still posting decent numbers and could benefit from a change of scenery. There’s no questioning that he’d fit very well alongside Buffalo’s numerous offensive talents and could give the Sabres a major shot in the arm with his goal-scoring and playmaking abilities.
The Swede carries a cap hit of just under $5 million but will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of this season. The Flames appear to be intent on re-signing him, but nothing has happened to this point and they’ll unquestionably be looking to get something for him if a deal can’t be reached. He has 18 assists and 26 points through 41 games thus far, but playing alongside the likes of Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch could greatly improve his fortunes.
A trade like this may have seemed far-fetched a couple of days ago, but the Sabres’ hand may have just been forced. TSN reported on Thursday that Jeff Skinner is week-to-week with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Losing their biggest goal scorer is the last thing they need right now, and they’ll have no choice but to look for something to fill the void. Lindholm would be a perfect replacement on the top line and could slot in somewhere else in the lineup after Skinner’s return. If the Sabres’ don’t want this season to go into a free-fall, this is a trade worth exploring.
It ultimately hinges on how much the Sabres would be willing to spend on a potential rental player. Lindholm would be an admittedly pricey target, and there’s no telling if he would re-sign this offseason. Calgary will require a first-round pick in return, but fellow pending UFA Victor Olofsson could be offered as a sweetener. The power-play specialist has been reduced to a shell of his former self, and the team is wasting a roster spot by keeping him aboard. Buffalo may have to ante up on this one, but it would be worth it to do so.
Noah Hanifin
The Sabres need to get better defensive play and pursuing a big name to help clean up the mess might be their only choice. Ferraro is a great option but there’s a far bigger name being tossed around and Lindholm’s teammate Noah Hanifin is without question the best available. The 2015 fifth-overall pick may be looking to leave Alberta due to the Flames’ persistent struggles and is in the final season of the six-year, $29.7 million contract he signed in 2018.
Hanifin plays an intelligent game and his two-way ability is very underrated. He blocks shots, rarely turns the puck over and can create plays up ice thanks to his strong skating. He hasn’t become the elite scorer that many thought he would upon being drafted but he contributes a very good amount for a defenseman who can also play his position soundly and has recorded 20 or more assists five times. He has seven goals and 22 points in 41 games this season in addition to a plus-10 rating.
Like Lindholm, Hanifin would not be inexpensive to acquire and Buffalo would have to offer a big return, but it’s something they could make happen. In addition to a first-round pick, the Sabres could include Jacob Bryson, who would help clear out their blue-line logjam, as well as one of any number of prospects. Again, the biggest factor will be how much they will want to pay for a player they might not be able to re-sign, as the Bostonian will rightfully be looking for a big payday this summer.
The presence of another established veteran blueliner who can also contribute on offense would take pressure off Dahlin, allow Power room to grow and give their goaltenders desperately needed aid. Hanifin might be an unrealistic target for the Sabres, but there’s no denying that he would help in all of those areas.
A Trade Could Revive Buffalo’s Playoff Hopes
At last season’s deadline, the Sabres were in the midst of an airtight playoff race, but their failure to make a big move hurt them down the stretch, and they ultimately finished one point out. Though they’re not in as good of a spot this time, they can’t afford to make the same mistake again. If Buffalo wants to stay alive this season and have any chance of ending its dreaded postseason drought, general manager Kevyn Adams will have to go against his own philosophy and be aggressive.
Related: Today in Hockey History: Jan 13
Bringing in a big-name player could give the Sabres the spark they need and ignite them on a playoff push. With the way things have gone for them all year to this point, they won’t get one otherwise. A season with so much hope and expectation is hanging in the balance. Where it goes from here is completely up to them.
