Buffalo could trade pick and prospect at NHL Draft in Vegas
The NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo had 32 clubs conducting interviews this week and 94 players going through drills on Saturday, and with GM’s and their scouting staffs getting a final look at players slated to be selected at the NHL Draft in Las Vegas later this month.
The Buffalo Sabres could be in a position to select another quality prospect in the top half of the first round, but according to Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek on WGR 550’s morning show on Friday, the Sabres face the playoffs or bust dilemma they pushed back on after missing the playoffs by one point one year ago.
“Everybody in the organization understands that if there’s not playoffs next year for the Buffalo Sabres, it’s going to be ugly.” Marek said. “It’s going to be a bloodletting and a lot of people are going to loading up the fax machine with pink paper.”
GM Kevyn Adams fired Don Granato in April before the former head coach’s two-year contract extension had kicked in, in favor of Lindy Ruff. Now with the draft in Vegas less than three weeks away, Marek believes that the Sabres could be one of a few clubs willing to trade their first-round pick and could also move one of their large pool of prospects, including first-round picks like Isak Rosen, Matthew Savoie, Jiri Kulich or Ryan Johnson for immediate help to get over the hump.
The Sabres are likely to be looking for scoring help after their production decreased by 50 goals last season, and for physical veteran forwards to provide depth to their lineup.
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