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The Buffalo Sabres have started to prepare for the future, and T.J. Brennan does not fit into those plans.

The rookie defenseman has been traded to the Florida Panthers for a fifth round draft selection in this years NHL Entry Draft.

After lighting fires in the American Hockey League with the Rochester Americans, and coming very close to breaking a forty year old Amerks record; the start of the NHL season and his callup to the Buffalo Sabres put that on hold.

After being relinquished to the seventh man on the depth chart – he was in and out of the lineup, and could never get the same spark in blue and gold as he did down on the farm.

The move bodes well for young defenseman Adam Pardy – who was rotating in and out of the seventh spot with Brennan.  With the injury to Alexander Sulzer and moving Brennan – Pardy is set to see his ice time increase.

Through ten games with the parent club, Brennan had one goal, no assists and was a -1.

The Florida Panthers are in the same mode as the Buffalo Sabres, although their fall from grace is a little harder to swallow for fans in the Sunshine capital of the U.S.  Parting with a fifth round draft pick that wasn’t theirs to begin with, the Panthers are looking for answers to why they are in the basement of the National Hockey League despite making sweeping changes last year that saw them make the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Is this the start of the floodgates opening on the Buffalo Sabres roster?

Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

There is a very good chance that T.J. Brennan will not skate First Niagara Center at all this season.  The Buffalo Sabres are stacked at defense, with nine guys on the roster – and only seven available spots.

The problem is – all 9 guys are NHL ready – and none can be sent to the American Hockey League to wait for a call up without clearing waivers.

29 other general managers are looking for NHL defenseman – it is likely Darcy Regier will find a dance partner either today or tomorrow to whittle his roster down to a manageable 23 bodies.

Teams however, don’t have to trade with Darcy Regier.  If I am looking for an NHL defenseman, and I call Darcy Regier – if he offers me Andrej Sekera or Mike Weber – and I want T.J. Brennan – I am either going to try and get Brennan – or I am going to wait and see how your hand plays out come Friday.

If no deals are made – I have an assistant coach watching the waiver wire to claim whatever defenseman you don’t want for nothing.

Why should I pay you now for something I don’t want – when I can get it for free in 24 hours?  Of course there are risks in running that gamble – the next call that Darcy makes could be the one that takes a deal – and then you are left without the ability to pick up a young defenseman that could be the next big thing on the blue line.

There is little doubt in my mind that Darcy will figure something out  – but there is the risk out there that the Buffalo Sabres if they are set on playing hardball with their players knowing that they over value them at times – could come back to bite us.

Keep an eye on your favorite internet source today – any trade the Buffalo Sabres make would have to be for picks – or multiple players out for a player in.