Vegas, Ottawa, Toronto, and NY Rangers among 11 NHL clubs represented for Monday’s contest

The Buffalo Sabres will be a popular view for NHL clubs looking to add some depth before the March 8th trade deadline. The Sabres have a half dozen pending unrestricted free agents and could be shopping some young players in the next two-plus weeks.

With Buffalo playing another seller in the Anaheim Ducks on Monday afternoon, 11 NHL clubs were represented at Key Bank Center.

Multiple scouts from three clubs (the Vegas Golden Knights(3), Ottawa Senators(2 - including GM Steve Staios), and New York Rangers(2), along with representatives from the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Seattle Kraken, and Vancouver Canucks.

During the Sabres four-game homestand, the Avalanche, Senators, Lightning, Maple Leafs and Golden Knights have had representatives at multiple games.

Forwards Zemgus Girgensons, Victor Olofsson, Kyle Okposo, Eric Robinson, defenseman Erik Johnson, and goalie Eric Comrie are on expiring contracts.

The Avalanche, Lightning, Maple Leafs, and Golden Knights are likely focusing on veteran Johnson, a physical, right-handed blueliner, who won a Stanley Cup in 2022. The 35-year-old still lives in Colorado during the offseason and could be interested in bringing him back as a depth option for the playoffs, while Tampa Bay, Toronto, and Vegas all have blueline issues due to injury.

Seattle (who are four points out of a Western Conference playoff spot and are in the bottom five of the NHL in goals) has been in Buffalo the last two games. The Kraken could be interested in Olofsson, who scored 28 goals last season but has been relegated to a bottom-six role with the Sabres this season.

Toronto is 23rd in the NHL on the penalty kill and may be interested in veteran Girgensons or Robinson.

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