Oh, the Sabres will have some decisions to make should the perpetual losing continue and teams start calling in as the trade deadline approaches. While I’m sure a few players will (and should) end up going elsewhere, there are three in the current lineup I’m on the fence about.
Yeah, you can argue that each player listed below would be better off elsewhere and that the Sabres would also benefit. But there’s also an argument to be made against moving them, namely because they still hold value to the team now and could retain that value in the future.
Jason Zucker
Nobody’s taken the Sabres by storm more than Jason Zucker, and if he were a few years younger, the Sabres would keep him without question. Zucker has looked like a top-six player again, even if he’s not that young top-six scorer I’d have liked to have seen Kevyn Adams bring in.
Still, he may add more value than anyone else on the trade market as far as the Sabres go. A high-impact player like Zucker would have teams overpaying for a 20-game rental, and there’s a chance Adams would squeeze a first-round pick for the winger.
But, if the Sabres are that one top-six scorer away from contending, trading Zucker instead of trying to extend him would even things back out, with everything else being equal. So, while it makes logistical sense to trade Zucker, there’s a lot of risk-reward weighing going on here.
Ryan McLeod
Ryan McLeod’s been gracing the news for all the right reasons lately, and it provides a much-needed bright spot for the Sabres. And let’s not forget that it also gives fans who may have been skeptical of McLeod’s output a reason to believe, too.
But for a lightning-fast skater whose offensive output can come in bursts, especially as a depth scorer, there’s a 100 percent chance teams start inquiring about McLeod. One benefit for trading McLeod would come in compensation, as desperate general managers will overpay for a middle-six center and that could pay off for the Blue and Gold.
That said, the Sabres are still a young hockey team, and McLeod’s youthful enough to stick around the City of Good Neighbors as part of this group’s core. Moving him negates that, and he’s already proven to be a much more valuable asset than many have given him credit for.
James Reimer
You might think it’s curious that James Reimer is even on this list, but he earns a spot given his solid play in the crease as the No. 2 goaltender. That will entice a general manager or two to pick up the phone and check on his availability, and Kevyn Adams may flip a late pick for him.
Moving Reimer would almost guarantee Devon Levi returns to the NHL for at least the remainder of the season following the trade deadline. The sheer upside is that he’ll get more experience during the ‘down the stretch’ phase, when some opponents will inevitably give it their all in search of a playoff spot.
The bad news? Levi still doesn’t look ready to be a full-time NHL goaltender, and he may be better off sticking around in Rochester to gain experience and confidence at the lower level.