Buffalo Sabres Roster: Is Matt Moulson Worth Keeping?

The Buffalo Sabres have made many key transactions over the past year to add to their scoring punch. They added a top end prospect in Jack Eichel, a potential 30-40 goal scorer in Evander Kane, and a highly skilled two way center in Ryan O’Reilly. These players were added to compliment and even potentially supersede some of the top scorers that were already on the Sabres roster; a player like Matt Moulson.

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Matt Moulson was once a 30 goal scorer for the New York Islanders before he was shipped to the Buffalo Sabres along with a first round pick in exchange for Thomas Vanek. In his time on the island, Moulson had scored 30 goals or more three years straight; starting in 2009 up until 2012. Since his trade to the Buffalo Sabres, Moulson has not yet even cracked the 20 goal mark.

Ok, I will grant that he has only played one full season with the Sabres, and that the season he was traded here he was traded a second time to the Wild at the trade deadline. Due to those circumstances and the fact that he chose to come back to the Buffalo Sabres via free agency, I will give him credit for wanting to be a part of the situation. He signed with Buffalo for 5 years at $5 million each year, and for what was given up in exchange for him, I expect a better return on that investment than a total of 24 goals and 70 points in 121 games played.

His assist count is not the issue at all, it is his goal scoring count. When he was traded for Thomas Vanek, he was brought into be his replacement. I don’t know if it is just me thinking it, but with that expectation being in place, I would expect at least 30 goals per season.

Let’s not forget that Moulson has played a majority of his time with Tyler Ennis on the Sabres, which I do understand is a significant downgrade from playing with John Tavares, but that should not stop him from scoring goals if he has the ability to do so correct?

I admit, I have been one of the biggest “nay sayers” towards Moulson for the past couple of years, and I continually hear people responding to me with, “The team around him is bad, so he cannot produce without a team around him”. While that comment is very true, the flaw in it is how well he should be producing.

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Moulson is supposed to be a goal scorer, so that is where he should be counted on the most. Last season, he only managed to put up 13 goals. Note that Tyler Ennis played on the same line and got nearly equal playing time to him and managed 20 goals. For a veteran player that is supposed to be scoring goals, 13 is just plain pathetic.

I can’t even remember how many times I was watching games last season and I saw Moulson barely moving up and down the ice. His effort level seemed to be completely dead, and his desire to play seemed like it was gone. I understand that the season was very difficult on the players, but it is the veteran players that should be able to push through that better than the youngsters.

Matt Moulson was given one of the alternate captain letters at the start of the year so he could help lead the young players by example and in attitude. With the effort and production he displayed on the ice last year, he was only a dud. Many nights he was legitimately useless.

Lacking in effort and production, I do find Matt Moulson to be a waste of cap space and time for the Buffalo Sabres in many regards.

As Buffalo moves into next season, they want to be taken serious and they want to be a competitive team. If Matt Moulson does not shape up and put in the effort every night then he needs to have his ties cut with the Buffalo Sabres. For a player of his perceived caliber, he might fetch a decent penny from a playoff team. Heck, the Islanders may take him back to round out their scoring even further.

Tim Murray still is looking for a top 4 left handed shot defenseman for the blue line, and Moulson could be worth just that to a team with extra defensive depth (hello there San Jose or Minnesota). Should the right chance to get rid of him come around, I think Murray should take it.

Moulson is 31 years old already, so he does not have much of his prime left in him to play.

Now, I can hear some people who disagree already saying why Moulson is valuable to the Sabres by being on the team, and I do understand that he can bring some value. For instance, that he has good chemistry with Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons; or that he is a great set up man that will go to the front of the net to score goals. I do understand how valuable those skills are, but the reality is that he did not produce in a first line role throughout the entire year. He did not even hit 15 goals, which should be easily achieved by a second or third line scoring forward.

Moulson may have his up sides, but in the end, I do believe that the Buffalo Sabres should cut ties with him as soon as they get the right offer for him.

Next: Is Tim Murray's Plan Still The Right One?

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