Top 3 defensemen the Buffalo Sabres could trade for by the deadline

With the trade deadline now just a few weeks away, the Buffalo Sabres, like all NHL teams will work the phones to see if they can land a deal.

With general manager Kevyn Adams’ insistence that he sticks to the plan, the Buffalo Sabres will not make a blockbuster trade before the deadline regardless of the circumstances. But that doesn’t mean Adams won’t at least explore some options here.

The Sabres defensive rotation has routinely broken down this year, especially those on the third pairing. So it wouldn’t be surprising to see Adams at least inquire about bringing in someone to help out on the third as the likes of Jacob Bryson, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Kale Clague have struggled throughout the season.

The names listed below shouldn’t require a blockbuster deal. But they will improve the Sabres chances at earning a playoff trip.

1 – Shayne Gostisbehere, Arizona Coyotes

Gostisbehere is teammates with, you guessed it, Jakob Chychrun. But he could be more beneficial to the Buffalo Sabres since he’s shown more durability than Chychrun. He also wouldn’t break the bank if the Sabres were to bring him in for their final stretch of 25-30 games, as in 2021, he cost nothing more than a 2nd and 7th round pick in a previous trade.

Even if he were to re-sign in Buffalo following the season, he would cost significantly less than Chychrun to keep around. The only downside? He will turn 30 in April, so as an older player, it may deter Adams from even remotely seeking him out. But Gostisbehere would make, at the absolute least, an excellent stopgap and would give the Sabres better defense for the remaining games.

The compensation also won’t be outrageous. But if the Coyotes wanted something significant for the 29-year-old, you know Adams wouldn’t pull this off. Nonetheless, with the defensive rotation giving up so many odd-man rushes and breakaways, he’s at least worth checking out. And they could wind up swapping an early-to-mid and a late-round pick for the defenseman, as Arizona did when they acquired him from the Philadelphia Flyers.

2 – Jake McCabe, Blackhawks

While McCabe being present on this list is polarizing, you can’t deny that he’d bring a remarkable physical presence back to the Buffalo Sabres. As of the All-Star break, McCabe has 98 blocks and 98 hits, so he would make a significant presence on the third pairing.

One downside regarding McCabe is that he could cost more in compensation than Adams would like, and that could steer him away from pulling this off. McCabe also carries an AAV of $4 million through 2024-25, so that could also be a deterrent. Finally, there is the fact he will be due $5 million that season. Another issue? Some sources have implied the Blackhawks may want a first round pick for McCabe, which would immediately deter Adams.

However, McCabe would undoubtedly bring a stability to the Buffalo Sabres defensive rotation on the third pairing. If they plan on going anywhere this year, they will need it. But with Adams’ insistence to stick with his plan, rightfully, by the way, landing McCabe is rather farfetched.