The worst possible players the Buffalo Sabres could trade for
The Buffalo Sabres, if they were to buy at the trade deadline, should not sacrifice the chemistry they’re building for a big name at a steep price.
Logistically, a trade only happens if the Buffalo Sabres enter March having won at least three of their next six contests to close out February and ideally, more. So if they’re in that position, you can expect them to perhaps pull off a trade that will make their team better, maybe to add a physical winger or a defenseman.
There are players they should also avoid. Even if many in the fanbase would otherwise like to see trades for such players occur.
Below, I listed three players that I don’t necessarily expect the Sabres to target. But if they shocked the world and pulled off such a transaction for one of the three, it wouldn’t just be a bad idea in hindsight, but instead, in foresight. Here are three players who could make the Buffalo Sabres worse off.
1 – Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Kane’s from Buffalo, so there’s a natural attachment to fans here. But I don’t understand this logic. At 34, and with 37 points in 51 games, Kane’s past his prime.
Yeah, he had two goals in the Blackhawks big win over Ottawa, which ironically helps the Buffalo Sabres. But that’s about the only thing Kane should be doing in regards to assisting the Bllue and Gold. He will be a free agent at the end of this season, and although Kane will no longer demand an AAV of $10 million, he’s still productive enough to desire a heftier sum.
And since the Sabres want to retain their younger talent and sign them to long-term deals. It makes zero sense to acquire Kane for what could be a handful of games. If the Sabres were a top three team in the Atlantic, I may feel otherwise, but that’s not the case.
2 – Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes
Many in the Buffalo Sabres faithful would love to see such a blockbuster occur. Chychrun is a young defenseman who plays a physical game and with 28 points in 36 games, he’s always a threat to score.
But here’s the problem: He can’t stay healthy! Chychrun only made it through a full season when the NHL played in the COVID-shortened 56-game 2020-21 season. Chychrun’s contract is also backloaded, where despite an AAV of $4.6 million, he will earn $5.4 million next season and $7 million in 2024-25. Quite the risk that the Sabres don’t need.
The Sabres need a defenseman, and a high-quality one. But there are better, more cost-effective, and safer options out there than Chychrun. Options who can stay healthy and still give Buffalo a physical edge the team needs.
3 – Timo Meier, San Jose Sharks
While I said previously that Timo Meier would be a sound addition to the Sabres, I’ve also written pieces that the power forward would be a mistake. In short, Meier would be a remarkable addition for the Buffalo Sabres, as he is young, physical, and productive.
Plus, he’s a restricted free agent, which gives Buffalo leverage as they wouldn’t need to immediately re-sign Meier if they traded for him. So what’s the big deal?
Two things, actually. One, trading for Meier would cost the Sabres dividends in compensation, ranging from high draft picks to high-end prospects, and perhaps even a player or two on the current roster. To trade such assets for a player who is going to also cost you tens of millions to re-sign with no guarantee he’s the right fit for the system, he’s way too much of a risk.
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While Meier could come in and be an incredible hit with Buffalo, he could also be an incredible bust. And that would set the Blue and Gold back, as they could have used those assets they traded away, plus the money they would undoubtedly give up to keep Meier around long-term.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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