Buffalo Sabres made a huge mistake not trading these players
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres netted a sixth-round pick for Robert Hagg before the trade deadline
And while most of the Buffalo Sabres faithful believe Hagg should have generated more, it’s easy to counter that argument. Hagg underperformed since arriving in Buffalo, and his greatest contribution to the team ended up being the first and second-round picks that came with him in the Rasmus Ristolainen trade.
Okay, harsh. Hagg had his moments. But in the end, he was not the physical specimen the team expected him to be. Hagg was also relegated to the third pairing, used as a stopgap defenseman more than anything else. At the end of the day, the Sabres were lucky to get something instead of letting him go at the end of the season.
Despite the move to get rid of Hagg, the Sabres should have sold more at the deadline. This is a team looking to get younger and now they’re stuck with numerous veterans whose contracts are set to expire this offseason. Translation: They’re now getting nothing for the players listed in this slideshow.
Kevyn Adams had a golden opportunity to pile up draft picks and prospects. No, not all of them would have stuck. But he would have allowed the Sabres to get younger throughout the system and build upon the nucleus that finally appears to have meshed.
Instead, Adams wanted the team to remain “competitive” for the last 19 games of the season. Not sure what he means by “competitive.” This team is not going to the playoffs. This was a rebuilding season, and Adams needed to sell more.
While he may see his moves as brilliant, the truth is, Adams made a huge mistake failing to dump his veterans. Even something as little as that sixth-round pick he acquired for Hagg could be worth something. Now, the Sabres will probably let the following players go for zero compensation.