Buffalo Sabres: 3 major traits an incoming defenseman must possess

The Buffalo Sabres are going to bring in a defenseman this summer and that is almost a given. So what kind of D-man will be joining the team?

We’ve come to know Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams for taking a conservative approach to building this group. He doesn’t like making blockbuster deals in free agency or trades, instead opting to build and develop the prospects pool.

But he also realizes there comes a time when the Sabres need just one more player or two if they are going to climb another rung. This is when you look outside the organization and add talent, and the Sabres have reached such a stage in their development.

Adams won’t just bring in any defenseman, however. He will look for three distinguishing traits. Let’s check them out.

An uncoming defenseman must possess the following for the Buffalo Sabres

1 – Capable of playing top four minutes

Ilya Lyubushkin and Henri Jokiharju weren’t the answer, though both could forge a formidable duo on the bottom pairing. This forces Adams to vet his list to include only defensemen who have shown the ability to routinely play top four minutes in this league.

He won’t look exclusively toward free agency, as the trade market could also offer some talent that fits the billing. But this prospective defenseman would need to prove they can do more than just play roughly 20-24 minutes per game.

2 – Does not feel the need to sign long-term (two, three years tops)

This time last year, it would have been a monumental task to locate a blueliner able to play in the top four, yet at the same time, willing to take a smaller, shorter salary. But players and their agents are no longer writing the Buffalo Sabres off after they came so close to the playoffs this past season.

Players who have been in the league for a while, yet have played for teams with limited success, will look toward the Sabres. And although the team itself hasn’t seen a playoff berth in 12 seasons, they will be playing for one of those eight spots in 2023-24, meaning there will be defensemen more than okay with signing a smaller contract for fewer seasons.

3 – Must possess a physical, edgy game

This is the Captain Obvious trait, but it’s still worth mentioning. Adams still needs to add more pieces that possess a physical edge similar to what Lyubushkin and Mattias Samuelsson bring.

Such a stay at home mentality should force opponents to improvise much like Samuelsson does when he’s healthy. It will also open up more opportunities for Owen Power, increasing the second-year defenseman’s odds of enjoying a breakout season.

Source: Sabres Mailbag: How will GM Kevyn Adams try to acquire another defenseman? by Lance Lysowski