The Buffalo Sabres quickly pivoted following the botched Colton Parayko trade on Thursday. The St. Louis Blues veteran blueliner kiboshed a proposed deal to Buffalo, forcing the Sabres to seek alternatives.
They found a highly suitable one in Winnipeg. The Sabres pulled the trigger on a late-night trade that landed defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley in Buffalo, while sending defenseman Jacob Bryson, prospect Isak Rosen, and two draft picks.
That situation puts the Sabres in a much better position than if they had actually landed Parayko. That assertion is two-fold.
First of all, the price for Parayko was astronomical, according to the prevailing chatter. While we don’t know precisely what the Sabres would have paid for Parayko, there’s a sense that it would have included a first-round pick and top defensive prospect Radim Mrtka (more on that in a moment).
The Sabres, instead, landed two serviceable blueliners without surrendering a first-round pick. Moreover, Buffalo managed to keep its top defense prospect while avoiding the inclusion of at least one first-round pick, as had been rumored at various points.
Second, the Sabres got the big, beefy defenseman they wanted. Parayko stands 6’6” and weighs 229 pounds. He doesn’t offer an overwhelming amount of offense, but has a tough, physical edge.
That’s precisely what they got in Stanley. The 27-year-old is 6’7” and 231 pounds. That’s plenty of beef to support the Sabres’ talented blue line.
On top of that, the club landed Schenn. He’s a veteran who’s been around the block quite a while. He’s as steady as they come, making him a fine partner for someone like Rasmus Dahlin, should the Sabres want to keep Dahlin on the left side with Schenn on the right.
But there’s another crucial reason why the Sabres are much better off with this deal.
Sabres won’t carry Parayko’s contract
So, I’ll be honest. The thing that made me second-guess the Sabres’ acquisition of Parayko was his contract. Parayko is 32 and has four more years on his current contract at $6.5 million AAV. That’s the type of contract that’s poised to become an albatross.
While there’s no indication that Parayko is in decline, hard-nosed defensemen usually have shorter career spans. So, what if Parayko’s performance declines or injuries become an issue? The Sabres could end up getting stuck with an untradeable contract.
Plus, there’s also the possibility that Parayko ends up blocking other up-and-coming blueliners in the Sabres’ system. The Sabres already have a towering blueline prospect in Radim Mrtka. So, would Mrtka knock Parayko out of the lineup? If Mrtka takes over a spot, who gets squeezed out?
By avoiding Parayko, the Sabres have all sorts of flexibility. They won’t have to contend with Parayko’s onerous contract. Plus, they can re-sign Stanely, who’s five years younger, to a much more cost-effective deal, and potentially keep Schenn around on a short-term contract.
All told, landing Schenn and Stanley gives the Sabres much more flexibility. They get the physical blueliners they wanted, a solid, reliable presence in Schenn, while also leaving a clear path for one of the best defensive prospects at this time.
Parayko, despite the negative optics, actually did the Sabres a favor by kiboshing the deal on Thursday.