Buffalo Sabres Free Agent Frenzy: Five Defensemen To Avoid

Yesterday, we talked about five free agent defensemen that the Buffalo Sabres should consider targeting when the NHL’s free agency period opens this coming July.

Today, we’re flipping things around – and discussing five pending free agent defensemen that the Buffalo Sabres should avoid this coming offseason.

Before we get started, a quick reminder of the Buffalo Sabres’ blueline situation:

Currently Locked Up

1. Zach Bogosian (cap hit $5.143 million next season)
2. Josh Gorges ($3.9 million)
3. Cody Franson ($3.325 million)
4. Mark Pysyk ($1.125 million)
5. Brady Austin ($635,000)
6. Brendan Guhle ($667,000)
7. Brycen Martin (635,000)
8. Michael Sdao ($650,000)

Pending RFAs

1. Rasmus Ristolainen
2. Jake McCabe
3. Casey Nelson

Pending UFAs

1. Carlo Colaiacovo
2. Bobby Sanguinetti
3. Matt Donovan (UFA IV)
4. Chad Ruhwedel (UFA IV)

There you have it. Now – time to look at five defenders the Buffalo Sabres need to avoid this coming free agency.

Next: Just Say No To Goligoski

1. Alex Goligoski

Alex Goligoski, 30, has now spent the past five full NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars. But he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer; will his time in Texas come to an end?

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I liked Goligoski back in his days with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But do the Buffalo Sabres really need him?

This season, he earned $4.8 million with a cap hit of $4.6 million.

To put it in comparison to some of the Buffalo Sabres’ defensemen, that’s more than Josh Gorges, but a couple hundred thousand less than Zach Bogosian will earn next season. It’s also enough to pay Mark Pysyk $1.125 million, four times over – and still have some room left over.

Goligoski was one of the Stars’ top defenders this season, averaging 23:50 ice time a night, appearing in all 82 games and playing a lot of time both shorthanded and on the power-play. If we’re being honest, it seems likely the Stars could re-sign him, considering how much of a quarterback he was for the blueline.

But if they don’t, I’m not just not sure I can see the Sabres finding a deserved spot for him. He’d likely be one of the top-four, maybe even top-two, and it seems to me like those spots in Buffalo are filled, between Bogosian, Ristolainen and company.

Next: Bye-Bye, Boyle

3. Nikita Nikitin

Nikita Nikitin would really not be a helpful contribution to the Buffalo Sabres defense, so general manager Tim Murray should avoid signing him this offseason.

Nikitin, 29, had a cap hit of $4.5 million this past season. He was paid that much to barely play on the Edmonton Oilers’ blueline (and when he did, to not play very well) and spent most of the season in the American Hockey League.

He appeared in just 11 NHL games this past season, and moonlighted in 30 AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors.

Overall, Nikitin has 264 NHL games under his belt after being drafted 136th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2004 NHL Draft.

The Omsk, Russia native would likely fit only into a seventh-defenseman role on many teams, including the Buffalo Sabres. If the price tag is similar to this past season’s, Nikitin surely just isn’t worth it.

Next: Liles to Buffalo? No Thanks.

4. John-Michael Liles

John-Michael Liles played a limited role this season with the Boston Bruins, and while he may have done the best he could with what he was given, it wouldn’t be worth it for the Buffalo Sabres to go after him this coming offseason.

Liles is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after earning $2.75 million this past season, with a cap hit of $3.875 million.

It was a tough season for the 35-year-old, who played most of his season with the Carolina Hurricanes before being shipped off to Boston. His time with Carolina saw him put up 15 points and 16 penalty minutes.

He went on to appear in 17 games with the Bruins.

In that time, he registered six assists and added two penalty minutes, finishing as a minus-7.

While he may have worked hard in his limited time with the Bruins – and the Canes before that, and he’s certainly a veteran presence who plays a simple game – it just wouldn’t be worth it for the Buffalo Sabres to try and sign him this summer.

Next: Not-So-Schennsational

5. Luke Schenn

Luke Schenn is not a name I thought I’d be putting on this list, but at the same time, I can’t justify any reasons for the Buffalo Sabres to consider signing him this offseason.

Schenn, 26, is by and large the youngest name on this list, and a few years ago, I probably would’ve considered taking him for the Buffalo Sabres.

But at this point, even with a decent cap hit, I wouldn’t take him.

This season, Schenn earned $3.35 million, but had a cap hit of only $1.8 million with the Los Angeles Kings. Not a bad cap hit, but still not really worth it in my eyes.

Schenn split this past season between Los Angeles and Philadelphia Flyers. After 29 games with Philly, he was traded to Los Angeles along with Vincent Lecavalier.

Next: Buffalo Sabres Should Not Resign These Players

Sure, Tim Murray could sign Schenn – or any of the players on this list. But I just can’t seem to find enough reasons in my mind why these guys would work out well with the Buffalo Sabres.