Buffalo Sabres: Adams would be unwise responding to DeBrincat trade

The Buffalo Sabres division rival, the Detroit Red Wings, traded for Alex DeBrincat last night in yet another blockbuster deal by Steve Yzerman. 

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman loves to build his team through free agency and blockbuster deals. Yet during his time in the Motor City, the strategy has yet to pay dividends. In fact, you can argue the strategy is overrated, given the fact Yzerman’s Red Wings have yet to earn a playoff berth despite his constant wheeling and dealing.

Meanwhile, Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams continues to see brilliant returns in building the team his way. The Adams-plan is about a total 180 from the “Yzer-plan,” and you can argue it’s been the better approach over the last few seasons.

Not only did the Sabres sweep the Red Wings in 2022-23, albeit needing a pair of shootouts to accomplish the feat, but they also finished with seven more wins and 11 more points. Keep in mind, the Sabres were a young hockey team that most critics believed had no business contending for a playoff spot.

Buffalo Sabres general manager needs no response to recent trade

Last night, we saw the news: Alex DeBrincat went home to Detroit. So of course, there’s always going to be that cluster of fans pining for Adams to get rid of perhaps a top-end prospect, a defenseman or two, Victor Olofsson, and even Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in his own blockbuster for a high-end goaltender. Or to pull off a blockbuster for another defenseman (despite Erik Johnson’s and Conner Clifton’s presence).

All because Yzerman traded for a player who helped his team reach the playoffs just once in his career, and the year in question was the 2019-20 season, a season you can put an asterisk next to?

Wasn’t DeBrincat supposed to be a “missing piece” for the Ottawa Senators last season? Instead, the Sabres also managed to finish ahead of Ottawa in the standings. That alone makes me question why some may want Adams to respond to this trade.

Further, you can’t base your strategy around what your division rivals do. Why should we encourage the general manager to change his strategy when the Adams-plan has paid nothing but dividends, including a near-surprise playoff appearance last season?

Doing so makes zero sense considering the returns. And even if DeBrincat was the “missing piece” for the Red Wings and they won the Cup this season, I’m still standing by every word in this article. Adams’ plan has worked so far, and there is no reason to believe it won’t inch the Sabres one step closer to the Cup this season. So stick to the plan, and worry little about what your rivals are doing, especially if those rivals weren’t exactly in playoff contention.

(Data provided by Hockey-Reference)