New Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen sounds like someone who's eagerly going to search out ways to put an immediate stamp on the organization after replacing Kevyn Adams.
ESPN's Rachel Kryshak developed two high-profile trade proposals that would represent a significant shift in the Sabres' on-ice identity if completed.
One is a swap between the Sabres and Dallas Stars:
- To Buffalo: Mavrik Bourque
- To Dallas: Alex Tuch (50% salary retention)
Another is a deal featuring Buffalo and the Vancouver Canucks:
- To Buffalo: Kiefer Sherwood, Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander
- To Vancouver: Owen Power and Jack Quinn
Let's take a closer look at each potential deal and analyze whether they would move the Sabres any closer to making a permanent move out of the Eastern Conference basement.
Sabres should be expecting a massive haul for Alex Tuch
Yes, a Tuch trade should be near the top of Kekalainen's to-do list if it's become clear behind the scenes the 29-year-old winger isn't going to sign a contract extension with the franchise. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end.
Bourque as the sole return feels light, especially if the Sabres are retaining salary in the trade, though.
The 23-year-old forward has an impressive pedigree as a first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft who proceeded to win AHL Most Valuable Player honors in 2023-24. He recorded 77 points (26 goals and 51 assists) in 71 games for the Texas Stars that season.
Alas, his NHL production hasn't come anywhere close to matching his dominance in the minors. He's posted a modest 35 points (15 goals and 20 helpers) across his first 108 appearances for Dallas. He's lit the lamp four times, dished out six assists and compiled a minus-eight rating in 34 contests this season.
Bourque could still emerge as a solid middle-six forward with some playmaking upside, but that doesn't feel like enough for Tuch, who's the best winger available on the trade market right now.
The Sabres should be aiming to receive at least one more valuable asset, whether it be a promising prospect or high draft pick, if they're going to make a Stars deal with Bourque as the centerpiece.
Trading Owen Power would be popular among some Buffalo fans
Wednesday on the Sabre Noise Twitter account we asked fans who the first player traded by Kekalainen should be and one player received far more responses than any other: Power.
The first overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft hasn't lived up to those sky-high expectations, and a segment of the fanbase has grown endless frustrated with a 6-foot-6 defenseman who's unwilling to use that massive frame to create leverage defensively, particularly in front of the net.
So, that group would probably be happy to see Buffalo make the proposed Canucks deal, which also clears the roster of the enigmatic Quinn.
Yet, it's a trade that would come with a massive amount of risk for the Sabres.
We've already explored the downsides of targeting Sherwood and Hoglander is similar to Quinn in that he's failed to take significant steps toward building NHL consistency despite some promising stretches.
Garland is the one intriguing piece because he's scored at least 46 points in four straight seasons and he's signed at a reasonable $6 million AAV through 2031-32. While a different style of player, he could help fill the top-six void created by a possible Tuch trade.
That said, giving up on Power could come back to haunt Kekalainen and the Sabres.
His defensive weaknesses, which do exist, are overstated because he's a tall defender who doesn't bring a physical edge to the game and his underlying metrics suggest he's played far better this season than his baseline numbers (eight points in 31 games) may suggest.
Power leads all Buffalo defensemen in 5-on-5 expected goals for percentage (xGF%) at 55%, according to Natural Stat Trick. The team also allows 9.76 high-danger chances per 60 minutes when he's on the ice, which ranks 57th among 241 NHL blueliners who've played at least 100 minutes.
Those metrics suggest the 23-year-old Canadian still has the elements to become a game-changing player for Buffalo despite the criticism, and there's nobody in the package from Vancouver whose maximum potential value can match that of the Sabres cornerstone.
So, while the proposed trade isn't necessarily lopsided at baseline, Power could easily follow in the footsteps of Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and countless others who've departed Buffalo and proceeded to achieve high-end success elsewhere.
The Sabres should stick with him, at least for a while longer, and hope his talent shines through.