Teams are calling the Buffalo Sabres regarding their older defensemen and odds are, they will sell a few of them.
Earlier this season, the Buffalo Sabres pulled off a blockbuster trade when they sent Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights for Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch, a first, and a second-round draft pick. That said, the Sabres have a solid relationship with the Golden Knights from a front office standpoint.
So why not inquire about another trade? This one would involve 23-year-old Nicolas Hague, whose contract with Vegas expires after the 2022 season. Hague has seen ice time on all three pairings, but spends most of his hockey nights on the second.
Why the Buffalo Sabres should trade for Nicolas Hague
Trading for Hague is also a low-risk maneuver at this point, and it won’t cost the Sabres much to plug and play the defenseman for the remainder of the season. Especially if they’re fielding calls regarding Colin Miller, Mark Pysyk, Will Butcher, and Robert Hagg.
Another reason it makes sense for the Sabres to trade for Hague is that the Golden Knights are looking to trade for a goaltender. Of course, fans out in the desert would love to see a reunion with Marc-Andre Fleury. Alexandar Georgiev of the New York Rangers is another name that’s been thrown around since late February.
With a 40-year-old Craig Anderson playing for a team that’s going nowhere, it makes sense for the Sabres to inquire about shipping the aging goaltender to the Knights. Perhaps along with Miller if the Knights are willing to take on the latter’s contract.
Trading for Hague would let the Sabres add another young piece to the puzzle on defense and give him a 20-plus-game audition to determine whether he’s a good fit for the franchise moving forward. They could also squeeze out a few prospects at the AHL level in the process while shedding two players who won’t be wearing blue and gold when the team does start winning.
Ideally, a team in the Sabres position will trade for predominantly prospects and draft picks. But it doesn’t hurt taking a flyer on younger talent from a contending team if they can get rid of a few veterans.