This offseason was expected to be an exciting one for the Buffalo Sabres as it will be Jarmo Kekalainen's first as general manager. The Sabres were able to end their playoff drought and the pressure is on Kekalainen to add to the roster to ensure they not only get back but can make a deeper run.
The Sabres wasted no time getting started with Kekalainen making his first move on Wednesday by sending restricted free agent Michael Kesselring and the Sabres' first-round pick (27th overall) to the San Jose Sharks for the 20th overall pick.
Michael Kesselring ended up playing in only 34 games this season with the Buffalo Sabres after they traded for him and Josh Doan for JJ Peterka last summer. Kesselring's time in Buffalo was riddled with injuries and he struggled to get into a rhythm when on the ice, finishing with only two points.
Kesselring's tenure with the Sabres will be seen as a disappointment but this trade shouldn't be and these are three reasons from the Sabres' perspective this trade was a great move.
Avoids having to make a qualifying offer
One of the reasons it was great for the Sabres to make this move now is that it avoids them having to make a qualifying offer. Michael Kesselring was set to be a restricted free agent this summer, but he was only going to be an RFA if the Sabres made a qualifying offer.
According to Puckpedia, that qualifying offer would have been a one-year deal worth $1.4 million, which Kesselring could accept, negotiate a new contract with the Sabres, or go to arbitration. A trade now avoids the Sabres having to account for this as they try to operate with limited salary cap space.
If it seemed that Kesselring returning was a long shot, or he made it clear that he wouldn't re-sign, the Sabres don't need to worry about a drawn-out process this summer.
Brings clarity to their third pair on defense
Right now, the Buffalo Sabres' Top 4 is set with Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Bowen Byram, and Owen Power. There really was no path forward, outside of an injury, for Kesselring to be in that Top 4, a role he was expected to play last summer after the Sabres traded for him.
Now with Kesselring in San Jose, it brings clarity to their blueline as that Top 4 stays in place, but also for their third pair. Entering next season, Conor Timmins is clearly the favorite to be the right defenseman on that last pair with Zach Metsa on the left side.
It wouldn't be surprising to see the Sabres bring in some competition for Metsa on that side or look to bring up prospects Vsevolod Komarov or Radim Mrtka.
Sabres set themselves for future trades with better first-round pick
While it may not seem like a lot, moving up only seven spots, it gives Jarmo Kekalainen a little more value when discussing other trades this summer.
At this point, it feels like it is almost a guarantee that the Sabres are going to use this pick as part of a package in a trade to add a player that can help this team now. For a team that is rebuilding, a pick at 20 absolutely brings more value than later in the first round at 27 and certainly would be more valuable than a mid-round draft pick.
There is no question that Kesselring is a player who was going to generate interest around the league. He has a lot of qualities that NHL teams are looking for, with him being a right-handed defenseman with size and only 26 years old.
However, it was a down season, so he wasn't going to return as much, especially with him being a restricted free agent and needing a new contract. This is a move that makes perfect sense for the Sharks, who need another piece for their Top 4.
For the Sabres, a trade package that includes the 20th overall pick instead of a mid-round pick allows them to go after blockbuster trades.
The reality of the situation is that after a down season for Michael Kesselring, he wasn't going to get much in return in a trade. However, the Sabres were smart to value a move up in the first round instead of a mid-round draft pick, as it gives them more value when discussing other trades this offseason.
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