Update: Buffalo Sabres Trade Deadline Primer…
The trade deadline, which is around a month and a half away, is drawing near as the All-Star break draws near. What actions ought each team to be considering taking, and where does each stand? The Buffalo Sabres are the next team in our league tour.
Following a 91-point performance in the regular season of 2022–2023; the Sabres appeared poised to end their 13–year postseason drought this year. It seems like Buffalo has regressed even after making a few summer additions to strengthen areas where the team was weak. The Sabres are now on track to finish the season with a 37-38-7 record, which would once again put them in a great position to win the lottery in the 2024 NHL Draft. Buffalo is one of the more intriguing clubs going into the deadline season, with the hope of competing this year and enough talent to do so.
Score 22–23–4, ranking sixth in the Atlantic
Timeline Status: Reliability Seller
Deadline Cap Space: $36.8MM on deadline day, 44/50 contracts used, 0/3 retention slots utilized, according to CapFriendly.
Future Draft Selections (2024): Buffalo Bills (first, second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh).
2025: MIN 4th, BUF 5th, BUF 6th, BUF 7th, NSH 7th, BUF 1st, BUF 2nd, BUF 3rd, BUF 4th,* *If Eric Robinson plays 45 games for the Sabres over the regular season, Buffalo will transfer Nashville’s seventh-round selection pick in the 2025 NHL selection to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Exchange Chips
The Sabres have a significant amount of cap freedom to work with, even with big long-term deals set to begin for defensemen Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin next season. If the limit does climb to the rumored $87.7MM, the team’s projected summer spending budget is roughly $26.14MM. Only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Casey Mittelstadt are expected to see significant increases from their existing contracts, so Buffalo might try to sign and trade for a player this March.
The Sabres have a strong chance of being sellers at this year’s trade deadline given their current record. But even if they were to get involved in the rental market this spring, it might not be worth it given the return value on guys like Erik Johnson, Zemgus Girgensons, Kyle Okposo, and Victor Olofsson.
Buffalo might use their 2025 first-round pick to acquire a long-term player, assuming they already have their sights set on the upcoming season. The Sabres would need a surprise star talent to hit the market in order to part with their lottery-projected 2024 first-round pick. Buffalo could be among the quieter clubs at this year’s deadline because they don’t have much to sell and can only afford to add long-term players.
Team Needs: 1) Right-Shot Defenseman: The Sabres added Johnson and Connor Clifton to strengthen their defensive core’s right side during the summer. In the end, neither addition has performed as Buffalo may have hoped; of the 29 players on the club, Clifton is ranked 21st and Johnson is ranked 24th in Corsi-For%. In a desperate attempt to locate a reliable backup for Power on their second defensive line, the Sabres may move quickly to try and acquire David Jiricek from the Blue Jackets. Jiricek has reportedly voiced dissatisfaction with his circumstances in Columbus.
2) A Final Answer In The Crease: For the past few years, one of the most common queries surrounding Buffalo has been an online response. It seems like it will take another year to find the answer to this question because there aren’t many revolutionary solutions available. Currently, Luukkonen or Devon Levi could be the answer to Buffalo’s goaltending prayers, but neither has indicated they can fully take on that role. This season, Luukkonen has been by far the superior choice between the two, although his severe streakiness raises concerns. Luukonen had a 3-5-1 record and a.910 SV% in his first eight games of the season, but he bounced back with a 3-5-1 record and a.876 SV% in his following nine games. Luukonen is once again on a tear, going 6-3-0 in his past nine games with a.940 SV% and looking almost invincible.
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