The Sabres could use another skilled forward and have an interesting option in this Canucks forward.
Recently, The Hockey News' Adam Proteau argued that the Buffalo Sabres are due for a big move. With the Sabres looking to snap their 14-year playoff drought, it would certainly be understandable if they were buyers leading up to the deadline.
Proteau also mentioned a handful of potential targets for the Sabres in his piece, with one being Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk.
"Or another Vancouver veteran – rugged winger Jake DeBrusk – could improve Buffalo’s attack," Proteau wrote.
When looking at the Sabres' roster, it is fair to argue that DeBrusk could be a strong fit for their group if acquired. The 29-year-old winger would undoubtedly give their top-nine a nice boost, as he is a skilled winger who can put the puck in the net.
DeBrusk has 12 goals and 24 points in 50 games so far this season with the Canucks. This is after he scored a career-high 28 goals and recorded 48 points in 82 games for the Canucks during this past season. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to give the Sabres more secondary scoring, which would not be a bad thing.
Another appealing factor about DeBrusk is that he has a reasonable $5.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2030-31 season. With this, he would be more than a rental for the Sabres, which certainly adds to his appeal.
DeBrusk has a full no-movement clause, so he would need to approve of any trade to the Sabres or elsewhere. Yet, with the Canucks starting a rebuild and the Sabres being an exciting team on the rise, perhaps he could be open to a move to Buffalo if they continue to stay hot as the campaign rolls on.