The Sabres have an array of prospects and could use that to their advantage at the deadline.
The Sabres have an array of prospects and could use that to their advantage at the deadline.
The 2024 NHL Trade Deadline is rapidly approaching, as it is now officially less than one month away. The Buffalo Sabres are expected to sell off some of their pending UFAs, with Victor Olofsson, Erik Johnson, Zemgus Girgensons, and Eric Robinson being among the candidates. Yet, there's a chance that they may add to their roster if it helps them in the long run, too.
In his most recent 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman noted that the Sabres could use their surplus of prospects to help improve areas that need fixing. Here's what the insider had to say on the matter:
"Buffalo’s got a lot of good prospects, a really talented group not yet in the NHL. Over the next few months, it’s very possible some will be used to get what the Sabres need. There’s not room for all of them, and teams always wrestle with when someone outgrows the AHL. I’m very curious to see which young Sabres get a look over the next little while."
This is understandable because, as Friedman notes, the Sabres have a lot of prospects. Many of them are forwards, such as Jiri Kulich, Matthew Savoie, Isak Rosen, Noah Ostlund, and Anton Wahlberg. They also have young forwards like Zach Benson, JJ Peterka, and Peyton Krebs on their NHL roster.
So, what kinds of players could the Sabres be looking for? The most obvious role is a top-pairing or at least a top-four defenseman. Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin naturally stands out, but some other intriguing potential targets include Jakob Chychrun (Ottawa Senators), Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues), Adam Boqvist (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Chris Tanev (Flames).
However, the Sabres also could consider adding a physical forward with term. Scott Laughton (Philadelphia Flyers) and Boone Jenner (Columbus Blue Jackets) are two players who would be strong additions to the Sabres, as they would give them more skill but also more bite.
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