San Jose moves up from 14th to 11th, with Buffalo getting a second-rounder for moving down three slots
San Jose moves up from 14th to 11th, with Buffalo getting a second-rounder for moving down three slots
Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams indicated last week that he was open to all options when it came to the club's first-round pick. The Sabres had the 11th overall selection for the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, but on Thursday the club traded their pick to the San Jose Sharks for a first-round (14th overall) and second-round (42nd overall) pick.
"This year's draft, we feel pretty strongly that after #6 or #7, it's really a wide range of where the names are gonna go, we felt it's a real good value for us to make that deal." Adams said. "We really liked the group of players we see ourselves potentially targeting at #14, we pick up an extra asset, which is good value at pick 42 and that's certainly something that we'll talk about. We're actively shopping around (to) see if there's a deal to make to help our roster better with pick 43. So this just gives us a little bit more ammunition."
The Sharks second first-rounder was acquired from Pittsburgh in the 2023 trade that sent Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson to the Penguins, and San Jose acquired the second-rounder in the nine-player deal in February 2023 that sent winger Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils.
The deal gives Buffalo three picks in the top 45 of the draft and consecutive second-round picks at #42 and #43. It has widely been speculated that the Sabres are looking to trade draft picks in exchange for immediate help, with the hiring of head coach Lindy Ruff and the assumption that Adams and the club face a playoffs or bust scenario, but he said there were no deals available to swap #11 for immediate help.
"There was not a trade and we went through every possible scenario with everything you could possibly go through, that made sense for pick #11." Adams said. "It wasn't there, there could still be the same trade there at #14. That's part of the thought process as well."
LATEST THN BUFFALO STORIES
Summer Trade Target – Frank Vatrano
Summer Trade Target – Travis Konecny
Summer Trade Target – Tanner Jeannot
Sabres Say They Are Ready For Accountability