Will the Sabres pull off a potential trade with Pittsburgh in 2022-23?
Pittsburgh Hockey Now has the Buffalo Sabres listed as one of four potential trading partners with the Pittsburgh Penguins for 2022-23.
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now outlined four teams that they believed would comprise potential trading partners with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Buffalo Sabres were among them, and it is a projection that might make sense this season.
Odds are, the Sabres are a year away from becoming serious contenders. So unless they are in the middle of pulling off an improbable Cinderella run, odds are, they will sell. But they won’t sell any youngsters. Instead look for them to sell one or more of the team’s older assets in 2022-23.
Would the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins pull off a trade in 2022-23?
Two prime trade candidates who immediately jump out at me are Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons. But Okposo figures to be the team captain and the undisputed leader of the Buffalo Sabres heading into the season, so I find it highly unlikely that he will be traded unless someone like the Penguins offer a ransom. Something I don’t foresee.
However, trading Girgensons to the Penguins would make a lot of sense. And more than just the fact that he has ties to the City of Pittsburgh. Girgensons is listed as a center but he has spent ample time at winger throughout his NHL career, which gives him versatility.
He is a hard hitter who is also capable of winning face-offs (career-high 49.8 FOW% in 2021-22), which would make him a pivotal part of the Penguins fourth line in at least a rotational role. However, the question remains: Can he stay healthy enough to keep his trade value afloat?
The likeliest trade between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins
My belief is that Girgensons would be part of a trade package between the Sabres and Penguins as the 2023 trade deadline nears. Obviously, this would not be a blockbuster trade, but one that would ship the 29-year-old forward to the Steel City in which he would become a puzzle piece to helping the Penguins capture a sixth Stanley Cup.
While Kingerski used adjectives like ‘undertalented’ and ‘thin’ to describe the left side of the Sabres defensive rotation, odds are the Sabres won’t be pursuing as they are actually kind of deep as far as left-handed defensemen go. And kind of talented, with the likes of Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson, to name a few.
The Sabres also have an ultra-deep prospect pool that they aren’t afraid to bring talent into. So my guess is that the likeliest trade would involve Girgensons for either a late-round draft pick or a couple more promising puzzle pieces for Rochester. Or even overseas prospects, for that matter.
Clearly, this trade is no blockbuster and by no means should you expect one. But it will give Girgensons a chance to win a Cup in a city he has some ties to. It could also make the Sabres even deeper either at right-handed defenseman or even at forward.
Other potential trade partners for the Buffalo Sabres
Alright, so let’s suppose for a second that the Sabres are at least in wild card contention and both general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Don Granato are curious to see whether the team can snag a playoff spot. In this case, I’m going to go bold and project the Buffalo Sabres buy at the deadline.
But, Adams will still be looking to stick to his long-term plan, so therefore, you shouldn’t expect a blockbuster such as a trade for Patrick Kane. Just please, realize that Kane is not coming to Buffalo this season. Now that we got the obvious out of the way, what is the one puzzle piece the Sabres would be looking for at the deadline?
Odds are, the likeliest trading partner would be a team with a lower-line center who can win face-offs when games are on the line. Earlier, I listed Girgensons as potentially sliding inside to assume the role this season, or perhaps even Dylan Cozens. But in this scenario, the Sabres would want someone who displays more than a 50-50, at best, FOW%.
Cody Eakin was good in the role last year, but expect the Sabres to go with someone with a FOW% of between 57 and 58 percent. Between one and two-percent higher than what Eakin accomplished in 2021-22.
And who knows? That trade could even involve acquiring Eakin if he winds up signing with a team between now and the trade deadline. Once again, you won’t see a blockbuster deal here, but one that will help the Sabres pull out close games as the 2022-23 season winds down.
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The most likely scenario overall would involve the Sabres trading away Girgensons, even if they were in outer orbit for a playoff spot. But if they felt they could end up contending, I also wouldn’t be surprised if they indeed became a nominal buyer this season.
Article Source: Sizing Up Potential Penguins Trade Partners: 4 Teams With Cap Space by Dan Kingerski