It is no secret the Buffalo Sabres have been on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs for the past number of seasons, and it appears this season will end up with a similar result. After a stellar 2022-23 campaign, the 2023-24 team has failed to live up to expectations and has drawn some ire from their fans as a result. With another season without playoffs likely (barring some miracle-level winning streak), general manager Kevyn Adams should be looking to improve his team on the more immediate front so the team can compete for the playoffs next season. Looking to trade for mid-level draft picks is all fine and good when the team is bad and the draft is the most exciting event of a team’s season, but this team has the potential to be great, and Adams needs to capitalize on having the talent pool to make the necessary moves.
Adams Should Not Be Afraid to Move Prospects
The Sabres have some of the best prospects in the league, and with a roster that is mostly under long term contracts, Adams will need to choose if he is going to part ways with roster players or prospects. If he decides to go the prospect route, they have plenty of talent that would be appealing to other franchises in order to have them part ways with some of their NHL-caliber talent (teams like the Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, and Philadelphia Flyers come to mind.) The Sabres most likely want to hold on to at least a couple of their top prospect talents so they still have a decent pipeline to pull from, but going down their depth chart, there are a few names that could garner some significant interest.
The top names that come to mind are Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, Matt Savoie, Isak Rosen, and Noah Ostlund. These five forwarda all carry similar weight when it comes to value, but a few of them stand out as “keepers” versus trade bait. Benson is the easiest one to hold onto as he is the only one to be a regular on the Sabres’ roster. The value he brings the team outweighs what he could bring in a trade, so holding on to him makes sense. the other four could very much be up for grabs at the deadline, or even at the draft, but Adams needs to be willing to move on from one or more of them.
Up to this point, Adams has shown restraint in trading away top young assets, and even draft picks. So far the only significant capital he has moved out for a good return was when he traded a second- and fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for Jordan Greenway. That payment has been well worth it, but it took some time to get Greenway comfortable with the team and get him going. If Adams wants to make a bigger splash, he is going to have to move either Kulich or Savoie for a significant return. Kulich is the star of the Rochester Americans as their best goal scorer (17 goals, 28 points, 36 games played), and he has shown some incredible promise when it comes to his development. Savoie has dominated in the Western Hockey League (WHL) since he was sent down and has amassed 51 points in 25 games. From a development standpoint he has outgrown the WHL and is ready to move up to the next level. Either one of these top talents could help land a significant roster piece. Adams just needs to make the right call.
What Should the Sabres Be Trading For?
Top prospects can get a team a top-four defenseman — or even a top-six forward with the right package — and the Sabres could really use one of each. A veteran defender such as the Flames’ Noah Hanifin comes to mind, or a veteran scorer like the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel could be an option as well, but it really comes down to how much Adams is willing to part with. With a number of high-caliber names possibly on the move on or before the March 8 deadline, the Sabres have to consider the holes that are very apparent in their roster.
Physicality is an area that the Sabres have struggled with for the past couple of seasons, but the question is whether they need to add a player who is solely physical or one who mixes offensive play with physicality. Personally, I feel like adding on a forward to their bottom six to a clearly-defined physical role would work much better than trying to force in a dual-threat one. The New York Rangers have seen some success with their hulking young bruiser Matt Rempe, and the Sabres could easily make a simple move for a similar type of player. A few that come to mind would be Nic Deslauriers from the Flyers, Keifer Sherwood of the Nashville Predators, or Sammy Blais of the St. Louis Blues. All of these players have more than 100 hits this season, and they play bottom six roles on their respective teams. Prying them away shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, and it gives the Sabres the ability to see how they can play with a more physical presence.
Besides physicality, defense is another huge piece of the puzzle that needs to be addressed. Recently the Flames traded Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars, so the return will likely set the market for key defenders. As the deadline draws near, there are a number of solid options that Adams could look towards. As mentioned before Noah Hanifin from the Flames is one option, but a few others include Matt Dumba from the Coyote or Sean Walker from the Flyers. The price variation between these three defenders is a bit larger than the physical forwards — and acquiring any of them with an eye to next season would come with some risk as they are all unrestricted free agents when the season is over — but this position is where investing some draft capital or prospects could really pay off. The Sabres need help on their second defensive pairing, and any one of these players would fit the bill. Making the move for any of them and then making a case for an extension in Buffalo could pay off huge for them when it comes to spending at the deadline rather than free agency.
Sabres Can Get a Head Start by Making Trades Now
There is no need for the Sabres to wait until the offseason to spend money on free agents when they can make a couple of trades now to get players who fit their system and needs. Making moves now allows the new players to get acclimated to the team, the environment, and the culture. Bringing in new talent does not always mean instant success, but with time and repetition, they can fit right in. Greenway is a perfect example of this — he was playing fairly average at the end of last season, but with time and reps with his new team has become one of the Sabres top defensive forwards and a huge asset to their team in big moments.
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There will be a few roster spots to be had when this season concludes, and trading for the needed pieces now instead of later only makes the offseason more simple. Adams has not been a free-agent spender by any means, so making moves at this season’s deadline makes much more sense if he is going to do something. Adding a tough forward to grind things out on the third or fourth line, along with a second pair defender who can find some chemistry with Owen Power will strengthen this team for the 2024-25 season. This season might be all but over, but that does not mean it needs to be a lost cause. The turning point for this franchise can start sooner than later. It is merely up to Adams to pick up the phone and adjust this roster into something that can compete and score.
