The Buffalo Sabres are looking to make moves – that has been the narrative since the end of the regular season and missing the playoffs for the 14th year in a row – but the challenge for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is to navigate the trade landscape and find players who do not have no-trade or limited no-trade protection that does not have Buffalo on their list.
The perfect example of this type of situation is Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported on Saturday that the veteran blueliner and the Flames have not made progress on a contract extension and that GM Craig Conroy is now willing to listen to offers from other clubs.
Other Sabres Stories
Is Peterka In Prime Position For Big Payday?
Sabres Summer Dilemmas - Bowen Byram
Sabres Facing An Off-Season Of Change
The number one item on the Sabres summer shopping list has to be a defensively responsible right-shot defenseman who could play with either Ramsus Dahlin or Owen Power. This item is even more vital since Adams is expected to deal RFA blueliner Bowen Byram.
It is unlikely that Buffalo would be able to attract Florida pending UFA Aaron Ekblad on July 1, even if they throw him a boatload of cash, but acquiring Andersson is within the realm of possibility. What is not known is whether Andersson has Buffalo on his modified six-team no-trade list and whether the Sabres would be willing to pay him what he is looking for on an extension.
These are the hoops that Adams and senior advisor Jarmo Kekalainen have to jump through, which will make the task of upgrading the Sabres roster that much more difficult.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo