Could the Buffalo Sabres trade for James Reimer, Adin Hill?

The Buffalo Sabres goaltending situation could still need to be addressed during the season. And they could end up looking to the West Coast for help. 

We should know the drill by now. Any time another team even implies they may trade a player, the Buffalo Sabres will be part of that rumor mill for the foreseeable future. Yesterday, we talked about them being linked to P.K. Subban – A rumor I wanted to debunk quickly – today, it’s James Reimer and Adin Hill, two goaltenders on the San Jose Sharks.

NBC Sports first broke the story that the Sharks are shopping Reimer and Hill, and of course, the Sabres were listed as a potential buyer who may generate an interest. Why does this not surprise any of us these days?

Anyway, this one is honestly not as far-fetched as the Subban link, and I’m going to tell you why: Craig Anderson, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (presumably), and Malcolm Subban are all part of the system. What do the aforementioned goaltenders have in common? They all struggled with injuries last season.

Don’t be surprised if Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams tries to trade for Reimer or Hill IF injuries pile up at goaltender and one of the duo is still available.

What would the Sabres need to give up to acquire Hill or Reimer? Not much, given Hill’s 74 games of NHL experience and Reimer’s status as an aging goaltender. But, both have put up respectable numbers last season, so I would project between a second-round, and a late-round draft pick for their services.

Let’s start with Hill, who recorded a 0.906 save percentage and 2.66 GAA last season. He also finished 10-11-1. Not the greatest numbers, but his GAA jumps out along with his age – he is just 26.

Onto Reimer, who is 33 and has enjoyed a career 0.913 save percentage and a GAA of 2.80. While the GAA is a little high for my liking, it’s not by any means. Reimer finished the 2021-22 season with a 19-17-10 record, a 0.911 save percentage, and a 2.90 GAA. Again, the GAA is not the most impressive, but his 0.911 save percentage gives him value.

Overall, I wouldn’t expect a trade for either of these two goaltenders yet with Eric Comrie and Craig Anderson on the roster. But if they are still available in training camp and the Sabres are struggling with injuries early, expect Adams to call up Mike Grier and strike a deal for one of these serviceable talents.

However, if the Sabres stay healthy in the net, I wouldn’t expect a trade here. It is also highly likely the Sharks will trade at least one or both goaltenders away before the regular season begins. So as of right now, the odds are lower that Adams will try to make a trade.

Article Source: Where Sharks might trade Reimer, Hill with one goalie too many by Sheng Peng

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)