Predicting the Buffalo Sabres defensive rotation following trade

On Friday, the Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to the Anaheim Ducks, bringing us one step closer to the final rotation.

Following the Buffalo Sabres trading Ilya Lyubushkin to the Anaheim Ducks, they now have eight defensemen on one-way contracts, and Kale Clague (two-way contract) is also in the mix. So if the season started tomorrow, what would the Sabres lineup look like without Lyubushkin and who would be the odd man, or men, out?

There are still a couple of options that Don Granato and the Sabres staff can utilize. The likeliest lineup would pair Mattias Samuelsson with Rasmus Dahlin, giving Buffalo one of the more lethal combos in the NHL. Connor Clifton would pair with Owen Power, while Erik Johnson would line up alongside Henri Jokiharju.

This would leave Riley Stillman as the likeliest extra, Kale Clague in the minors, and Jacob Bryson likely following, assuming general manager Kevyn Adams is unable to trade him. Clague will then see time in Buffalo if injuries strike the blue line and if they are slated to miss an extended period.

Buffalo Sabres can utilize different lineups without Ilya Lyubushkin

Then there was the case I made for lining up Owen Power next to Mattias Samuelsson. This would involve a potential rotation on the first pairing with Rasmus Dahlin seeing time alongside both newcomers in Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson, with Clifton eventually easing into the role permanently.

You would see Samuelsson and Power alongside one another on the second, and once again, most likely Jokiharju sidling next to Clifton and Johnson, but with Johnson easing more into a permanent third pairing role. Riley Stillman remains the top extra while Clague goes to the minors along with Bryson unless Adams works out a trade.

The only real difference is that, when the Buffalo Sabres need an additional physical presence, they would simply roll with Stillman as opposed to potentially keeping a pair of extras in Stillman and Lyubushkin. Look for Stillman to see more ice time now that Lyubushkin has gone to Anaheim.