While uncommon, it isn’t unheard of for two teams to trade within the division. And that could be the case with the Buffalo Sabres and Anthony Duclair.
Jacob D. Strozyk of The Hockey Writers came up with a few interesting scenarios regarding a potential trade for Florida Panthers winger Anthony Duclair. While I’m often taken aback and don’t necessarily believe there is a chance for the Blue and Gold to trade within their division, the Panthers may want to pass the winger off to another team, regardless of who they are.
The downside is that thanks to a ruptured Achilles suffered at the end of last year, Duclair has not played in 2022-23. But once he returns, we can all agree Duclair could upgrade the Sabres lower lines.
He appeared in 74 games last season and put up 58 points, which makes him a perfect fit for the Blue and Gold’s high-octane identity. He could also be one to replace Mittelstadt on the third line.
Could the Buffalo Sabres realistically land Duclair?
Strozyk pointed out that compensation for Duclair may be quite a sound bargain, as the Panthers are on the verge of cap trouble. This, as stated earlier, means Florida would seek to trade Duclair to a team with enough space to take on the 27-year-old’s contract, and the Sabres would organically make the shortlist from a salary cap standpoint.
If the Sabres are interested, Strozyk also mentioned a few potential trade packages, listing players like Rasmus Asplund, Vinnie Hinostroza, Ryan Johnson, plus middle round picks as compensation for Duclair.
Overall, trading a defensive forward like Asplund, a prospect in Ryan Johnson, plus a second round pick could be all the Sabres needed to land Duclair. Ultimately, it comes down to whether the Panthers are willing to trade him within the Atlantic, but early signs show that they may just want to rid themselves of his contract regardless of who they end up trading him to.
With the overall compensation lower thanks to Florida’s cap situation and the fact Duclair is coming off a major injury, if the Panthers are okay with keeping Duclair in the division, general manager Kevyn Adams may want to look in on this one. Sure, this could be a bust of a trade, or it could be a steal.
Article Source: Sabres Can Add Scoring Depth and Speed with Anthony Duclair by Jacob D. Strozyk
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