One of my favorite things to do when I’m exploring the world of the Buffalo Sabres is looking at mock trades on the Armchair GM from CapFriendly.com.
I thought it’d be a fun idea to look at what other Buffalo Sabres fans or fans of other teams have in mind with the Blue and Gold. So without further ado, let’s dive in!
Move 1: By user HCSG titled SAROSDUMBATUZZIRICO
Pittsburgh Penguins acquire: LW/RW Victor Olofsson
Sabres acquire: RHD Jeff Petry, 2024 2nd, 2025 2nd
Analysis: High risk, high reward. I’d accept. Submitted by A Penguins Fan.
The risk is Petry is 35 years old and turns 36 in December. He has two seasons remaining on a contract that carries an AAV of $6,250,000. He would also have to waive his NTC/NMC which he submits a 15 team no trade list.
Jeff Petry could be a great asset for the Buffalo Sabres
However, the Sabres are in dire need of a veteran defenseman. More specifically one that’s right handed to play on the second pair with Owen Power. He has good size and weight (6’3 – 207 lbs). He wore the “A” for 3 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, which adds to the philosophy of Kevyn Adams and Don Granato by bringing leadership into the locker room.
For his age, Petry is still fairly productive with five goals, 26 assists, and 31 points in 61 games. He had a whopping 190 hits and 111 blocks this season in those games.
For the Penguins, who finished 16th in the league in scoring, would get a middle six, one-dimensional goal scorer. The Penguins would save a couple million in cap space through this trade which is something they need.
The Sabres have plenty of cap space, so we can afford Petry and still upgrade in other needed areas. Plus, two second round picks can be used for future trades or to keep our prospect pipline strong.
Credit: HCSG, CapFriendly.com