Buffalo Sabres add much-needed physical edge with Riley Stillman
The Buffalo Sabres finally bought during trade season, acquiring defenseman Riley Stillman for prospect Josh Bloom, who signed with the team last year.
The Buffalo Sabres showed some physicality last week in their big wins over the Florida teams. Yet when they defeated the Washington Capitals on a Sunday matinee, their physicality once again faltered. That should be less of an issue with Riley Stillman coming to town and prospect Josh Bloom joining the Vancouver Canucks system.
Stillman, who turns 25 on March 9th, adds yet another layer of youth to the NHL’s youngest team. And he could fare better than what we’ve seen from the likes of Jacob Bryson and Kale Clague, neither of whom impressed during the first two-thirds of the season.
While fans may not be happy with the Sabres acquiring such an obscure player who spent time with three different teams (Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, and the Canucks), it’s a trade that could bring them a physical edge they’ve mainly lacked during the Don Granato era. Just last season, Stillman logged 122 hits in just 52 games, and this year, he has 52 in 32 appearances with the Canucks.
Buffalo Sabres should be more physical with Riley Stillman
Look for Stillman to be inserted onto the third pairing alongside Ilya Lyubushkin while either Clague or Bryson most likely get waived (which could happen by the time you finish reading this article). Overall, if Stillman and Lyubushkin do end up on the third pairing, expect a nice uptick in physicality, and it should be fun to watch as every game becomes a playoff game for the Sabres from here on out.
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Again, this isn’t the glamor trade, and fans will undoubtedly give it a negative rating. But it’s a good value move that reminds me, to an extent, of what Adams did when he snagged Tyson Jost off the waiver wire. Not a transaction that’s going to be all-world, but one that, in the long-term, fans might just like.
Source: Buffalo Sabres acquire Riley Stillman from Vancouver Canucks for Josh Bloom by J.D. Burke, EPRinkside.com
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