Eric Robinson can bring a strong defensive presence to the Buffalo Sabres
By Sion Fawkes
Eric Robinson isn’t the flashiest trade the Buffalo Sabres could have made, but the winger may fill an important need on the team.
A contingent of Buffalo Sabres fans were clamoring for general manager Kevyn Adams to add a forward from the outside. And although he won’t receive the highest marks by trading for a bottom-six winger like Eric Robinson, there is no denying the 28-year-old can bring more physicality to a Blue and Gold team that needs it.
Sometimes, it’s not about how flashy or established a player is, but how they might help you win games, and that’s the potential Robinson brings since he could fill a dire need. This is a bottom-six player who put up 24 points and 12 goals in 72 games last season, and he also racked up 124 hits for the Columbus Blue Jackets in that span.
But this isn’t what makes Robinson a more impressive trade than it initially looks on the surface. If you look at some of his career possession metrics, you should be impressed, as the Blue Jackets averaged a 92.0 on-ice save percentage at 5-on-5 when Robinson was in the game, and he also brought plenty of value to the penalty kill.
Buffalo Sabres may have traded for a hidden gem in Eric Robinson
The Sabres have struggled defensively in recent games, evidenced by the 90 goals they have given up through just 26 contests, averaging to 3.46 per. Injuries to Zemgus Girgensons and Jordan Greenway are one reason they have had a tough time stopping opponents lately, and a few basic numbers will show why Buffalo is missing them.
At 5-on-5, the Sabres on-ice save percentage stood at 94.2 percent this season with Girgensons, and Greenway was one of their best on the penalty kill. It serves as no coincidence that when the duo aren’t present in games, the Buffalo Sabres suffer defensively, and Robinson could be a sound consolation.
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It will be interesting to see how the Sabres use Robinson when Greenway and Girgensons return, and if the trio can add another layer of defense the Blue and Gold have been lacking. But, if Kevyn Adams didn’t think that would be the case, Robinson wouldn’t be coming to the team.
Source: Slumping Sabres tweak lineup by acquiring Eric Robinson in trade with Blue Jackets by the Associated Press, ESPN
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)