The Buffalo Sabres have struggled on defensive responsibility a lot this season, and besides Dahlin could use a little more upside with their left handed defenders. While Jake McCabe is a worthy and capable defenseman, he fits a second or third pairing role with penalty killing time. A defenseman that would fill in that slight gap perfectly would be Zach Werenski.
Now I know what some of you are thinking. There’s no way Columbus trades a potential cornerstone defender, especially when he’s just finishing up his entry level contract. While this is an unlikely situation for sure, Columbus still may be willing to deal, especially with the stellar play of their all star defender Seth Jones.
Werenski is a two way defender with some key offensive upside. Last season he scored 16 goals, and this year he already had 9. Beyond Ristolainen and Dahlin, no other Sabres defenseman has the ability to put up those numbers.
What would it cost for him though?
For a potential top end defenseman playing well before his prime, it’ll cost a pretty penny. First, Buffalo would have to send a roster defenseman in return, likely Scandella or McCabe. Then they would have to add in some young talents to balance the scales. Columbus may ask for Sabres prospect Metaj Pekar, or Alex Nylander; possibly even Victor Olofsson, and on top of that would need to be a first round pick, possibly a second. Is it worth the price? It just might be to shore up the defense.