The Sabres' decision to bring in this forward from the Rangers is a good one.
The Buffalo Sabres made a handful of additions leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. It is not difficult to understand why the Sabres added to their depth, as they are in a prime position to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
The Sabres tried to make a blockbuster trade for Colton Parayko, but the St. Louis Blues star defenseman blocked the move. After that, the Sabres made some solid depth additions that have the potential to give them a boost.
One specific trade addition who has the potential to be a good pickup for the Sabres is forward Sam Carrick. The Sabres acquired him from the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick. While this is not a major move, it was a sneaky good one for Buffalo.
With this trade, the Sabres have added a solid bottom-six center who throws the body, kills penalties, and has success at the faceoff dot. With this, he is the kind of hard-nosed player that a team prepping for the playoffs should be looking to add.
Carrick will also be more than a rental for the Sabres, too, as he is signed until the end of next season with a $1 million cap hit. This is not a bad thing in the slightest.
In 60 games this season with the Rangers before being acquired by Buffalo, Carrick had four goals, 10 points, 86 hits, and a 53.9 winning faceoff percentage.