Could the Buffalo Sabres make a move for Chris Tanev?
The Buffalo Sabres could end up trading with teams slated to have salary cap issues for 2023-24, and that could open the doors for a certain RHD.
With a new regime about to head up the Calgary Flames, it means there could be some movement among the older players on the roster. Further justifying such a movement is that the Flames are entering a potential rebuild with little cap space to work with, so it’s likely they’ll want to free up as much as they can to get the rebuilding effort underway should they decide to go in that direction.
For the Buffalo Sabres, this would be welcoming news, given the fact Chris Tanev would make a remarkable top four defenseman who has not only experience, but a proven track record to be a stopgap for at least one year. While Tanev isn’t the physical specimen that many fans would want to see, he has logged triple digits in blocked shots over the past five seasons, including the COVID-shortened years in 2020 and 2021. Something the Sabres could have used more of from their blueliners last season.
Buffalo Sabres could snag Chris Tanev at a bargain rate
Tanev’s on-ice presence could also help the Blue and Gold not only maintain, but also improve their high-octane approach. Last season at 5-on-5, Tanev’s Corsi For% sat at 60.0 while his Fenwick For% resided at 59.6. Shifting gears to even strength, neither the Corsi nor Fenwick For% showed much of a drop off.
One real downside of acquiring Tanev is that he will be 34 this season. But that could also indicate that he’s not willing to become part of a potential rebuilding effort in 2023-24, meaning he could waive his no-trade clause. Further, at an AAV of just $4.5 million, he more than fits into the Buffalo Sabres budget.
Another downer is that Tanev is in the last year of his contract, so if the likes of Ryan Johnson and Nikita Novikov needed multiple seasons in Rochester, there is no guarantee Tanev would be anything more than a one-year stopgap.
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Overall, general manager Kevyn Adams should look into acquiring Tanev. But given his age and the fact he’s a potential rental, Adams also shouldn’t be willing to give up too much compensation to Calgary.
Source: Flames: 3 Trade Partners for Tanev With Kylington Returning by Rob Couch, TheHockeyWriters.com
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference, contract info provided by Cap Friendly)