The Buffalo Sabres are clearly putting their own talent ahead of anyone they would get in a blockbuster trade, and it’s the right call.
Following Dylan Cozens signing on for another seven seasons, Lance Lysowski of Buffalo News reported Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams stated he’s not finished locking in his young core. Players like Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power are on his short-list to get deals done in the (sort of) near future, while I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tyson Jost get at least a bridge deal.
This comes on the heels of rumors of the Sabres supposed link to winger Timo Meier while others regarding the likes of forwards Anthony Duclair and Boone Jenner, and even defensemen like Jakob Chychrun. But as I mentioned yesterday, don’t expect a blockbuster trade for a few reasons, and one major reason is that Adams will rightfully put his own talent above outsiders.
The Buffalo Sabres are too good to allow current talent to slip away
With a 26-20-4 record (56 points), the Buffalo Sabres trended further north than many of us thought so far. Thanks to the performance of many puzzle pieces already locked in long-term, the Blue and Gold exceeded expectations, and it therefore justifies the fact Adams wants to keep the building blocks responsible for the team’s improvement as opposed to risking assets for a player who may or may not work out.
Many fans love the idea of landing Meier or Chychrun, but why add them at this point when there is plenty of talent to eventually sign long-term? Talent that you know meshes well with the other players on the roster of what has become a tight-knit team?
From that regard, it makes absolutely zero sense. This isn’t to say there aren’t smart options out there. There are defensemen like Luke Schenn who would add a physical edge that the Blue and Gold definitely need.
Someone like Jenner or Duclair could be an upgrade over the likes of Casey Mittelstadt if Adams sees the need to upgrade at forward, and perhaps moving odd-men-out like Rasmus Asplund if such a trade were to occur.
Overall, what Adams is doing right now makes far more sense than selling the house to land Meier or Chychrun. Retain the young core that brought your team to overachieve a little in 2022-23, then worry about adding a dynamic puzzle piece if you can afford it.
Article Source: Sabres’ bye-week fun another sign of ‘close’ team, from contract news to beach football by Lance Lysowski
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