Buffalo Sabres: Possible Out-Of-The-Box Trades
Following their third-straight win, the Buffalo Sabres are now mere points from a playoff spot. Adam chimes in with some less-than-conventional ideas on how to improve the team.
With the NHL Trade Deadline almost a month away, I figured now would be the time to start discussing how Buffalo Sabres General Manager Tim Murray could help the team…or hurt the team.
First of all, with Buffalo’s three game winning streak, that has put them into Playoff Wild Card talk! And to think that earlier in the month, I was saying the Sabres’ New Year’s Resolution should be to tank.
Anywho, there are a lot of holes on the Sabres that need to be plugged. Below is my short list, and possible trade options. Feel free to chime in or add your two cents!
- Coaching—let’s face it, we have a coaching issue. We already past the halfway point in the season and Coach Dan Bylsma is still “tweaking” the lines…that’s something you do during preseason and the first few weeks of the regular season. Anyway, I hear that Boston Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien is on the hot seat. Rumors have been bouncing around that Beantown might fire him. Can GMTM pull off a deal where he trades Dan Bylsma for Claude Julien? Julien also has Stanley Cup experience…wasn’t that the excuse we were given when Dan was hired?
- Prospects/AHL players –The Rochester Americans is the Buffalo Sabres farm club. Unfortunately the Amerks don’t have a wealth of talent playing for them; hence they are still last place in the North Division and second last place in the Eastern Conference. Since GMTM still has a woody for all things Ottawa, maybe he can work a deal where he trades franchises, the Amerks for the B-Sens…he better act quick because at the end of the season the B-Sens are moving north of the boarder to Belleville, Ontario.
- Goal-Scoring Forward—Yes, we all know the Sabres need help all over the ice. Lately there has been a lot of goal scoring, but the Sabres need more. Since GMTM is still in love with Ottawa, maybe he can get Daniel Alfredsson out of retirement? Heck, the Sabres first head coach and general manager, Punch Imlach, was able to get his star defenseman, Tim Horton, out of retirement and play for him in Buffalo. Maybe GMTM has the magic touch?
If anything, it’s that GMTM has proven that he has no problem with wheeling and dealing players and doing some pretty big blockbuster trades. Some have paid off, others haven’t. Let’s face it, you need to give up something good to get something good in return…that’s the theory. Who would you like to see come and go?
Next: Sabres Are Within Striking Distance Of Playoffs
Hey, at least we aren’t talking about the previous general manager, Darcy “Do Nothing, Trade No One” Regier. We know the GMTM will do something, it’s just a matter of time; about 33 days.