The Buffalo Sabres have continued to play great hockey coming out of the Olympic break as they have won their first three games, including back-to-back road games against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. They have moved up the standings and are only four points back of the Lightning for the Atlantic Division lead.
This season's trade deadline should be very different than each one over the last decade as the Sabres are not sellers by any means. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen is trying his best to find moves that can help this team once the playoffs roll around.
The trade deadline not only impacts players who are traded but could have an impact on players who remain on the roster. The Sabres could end up trading for a player who replaces them in the lineup and they see their role change significantly compared to what it has been.
When looking at the roster, these are four players that could be impacted the most by the NHL trade deadline later this week.
4 Buffalo Sabres who could be sweating the NHL Trade Deadline the most
Colten Ellis
Almost the entire season, the Buffalo Sabres have had three goalies on their NHL roster, and it was one of the first things that Jarmo Kekalainen was expected to address when he was named the new general manager back in the middle of December.
That hasn't happened yet, due in part to the fact that the Sabres have seemingly only had two healthy goaltenders at any point since Kekalainen took over. The three-goalie rotation has been a blessing in disguise for Lindy Ruff and has helped keep Devon Levi in Rochester as he takes this season to develop.
Now that all three are healthy, Kekalainen might revisit the position, and if any goalie is traded, it would likely be Colten Ellis. Since returning from the Olympic break, it has been a rotation of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon.
However, it isn't much of a pressing need as a few months ago, and the Sabres may view this rotation as a strength, knowing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon both have missed extended time this season.
Peyton Krebs
Peyton Krebs has been playing great since the Olympic break and has remained on the Sabres' top line because of it. As it stands now, it would seem the Sabres are unlikely to make a big splash ahead of the trade deadline and focus on adding depth.
However, if they were to add a Top 6 forward, it would probably be to replace Peyton Krebs, even with his recent run of great performances. The left wing spot on the top line has been a bit of a revolving door this season, with a number of players stepping into that spot but unable to remain there long-term.
If the Sabres were to add a player of that caliber, Krebs wouldn't fall out of the lineup completely and would return to being the center on the Sabres' fourth line. He did a great job in that role as well, and would be a boost for the depth of the forwards.
Zach Metsa
The Sabres' top priority over the next week should be to add some depth for their blue line, which has dealt with several injuries this season. They hopefully will be getting Conor Timmins back soon, and Michael Kesselring ideally starts to play better in what has been a frustrating season.
However, the Sabres have seen that when they have injuries, the depth isn't what many thought it might be, as Zach Metsa and Jacob Bryson have struggled at times. Recently, it has been Metsa who has gotten the starts over Bryson, and he is coming off the best game of his career, where he had two points against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Sabres' desire to add depth is not necessarily to replace Metsa, which would happen if they traded for a player, but rather to provide a backup plan if there were an injury to one of their Top 4. Right now, the Sabres just don't have the players to step up if needed, but a veteran defenseman could help alleviate some concern if that situation were to arise.
Jack Quinn
Among the skaters on the Buffalo Sabres, the one player who probably has the best chance to be traded would be Jack Quinn. He is a former first-round pick who is only 24 years old and is having arguably the best season of his career with 38 points in 60 games.
For teams rebuilding or looking to add younger talent, Jack Quinn is a player who should be highly valuable and could help the Sabres address some needs.
It will be an interesting few days for the Buffalo Sabres and the rest of the league leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline. These four players could have very different roles, or even teams, by the time it is all said and done.