Sabres Should Consider Targeting Canucks Skilled Forward

The Buffalo Sabres would be wise to browse the trade market for forward help.

Bringing in another skilled winger would be good for the Sabres, as it is clear that they could use more scoring.

When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, one player who could make a lot of sense for the Sabres to target is Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk.

DeBrusk's name has been floating around the rumor mill for a long time now. With the Canucks rebuilding and having a brutal season, it would be understandable if they finally moved DeBrusk at some point this campaign. Due to this, Buffalo should consider kicking tires on him. 

If the Sabres acquired DeBrusk, he would offer them another proven winger for their top nine. The 2015 first-round pick has shown throughout his career that he can be an impactful scorer, so he could be a strong pickup for a Sabres team that needs a boost. 

In 18 games so far this season with the Canucks, DeBrusk has posted five goals and 10 points. This is after he had 23 goals and 42 points in 81 games for the Canucks in 2025-26. He also scored a career-high 28 goals in 2024-25, so he can put the puck in the net.

DeBrusk would be more than a rental for the Sabres if acquired, too, as he has a very reasonable $5.5 million cap hit through the 2030-31 season.