5 defensemen the Sabres must consider trading for after Samuelsson’s injury
The Buffalo Sabres just sustained a massive loss to their blue line when Mattias Samuelsson was ruled out for the season.
While the Sabres may not be traditional buyers at the trade deadline on March 8th, it shouldn’t deter general manager Kevyn Adams from adding that final piece to the blue line. With Mattias Samuelsson done for the season, Buffalo has a few more holes to fill in the defensive rotation, and trading for someone now could get rid of a potential offseason need.
The names listed below comprise a few who would willingly come to Buffalo if the team turns their fortunes around over the next month. Others listed may be fine with joining one of the youngest teams in the NHL for the rest of the year if it means a potential playoff berth for next season.
Therefore, while the Sabres currently look like sellers or at least a team that will stand idle at the deadline, their current situation should entice Adams to work the phone lines.
Chris Tanev will block lanes every bit as efficiently as Mattias Samuelsson
If the Sabres won games in February and they clawed their way back into legitimate contention, Chris Tanev should have no issues coming to Buffalo to help the Blue and Gold finally return to the playoffs. Tanev, 34, will also give the Sabres a strong leadership presence that they still seem to be lacking despite having Kyle Okposo, Zemgus Girgensons, and Erik Johnson in town for the time being.
However, the only way Tanev will be in Buffalo is if the Sabres start winning more games. They had a good start to the 2024 calendar year in January, so we can’t count them out just yet. But if Buffalo reverts into the team we saw between October 12th and December 31st, there is no likelihood that Tanev will have any interest in moving to Western New York.
Noah Hanifin could be a major asset in Buffalo long-term
While every NHL player dreams of embarking on a deep playoff run, Noah Hanifin has got to be growing impatient in Calgary. Therefore, as in his teammate Chris Tanev’s case, Hanifin would also be looking to join a contender and sign a long-term deal with someone. So once again, the Sabres need to keep winning like they were in January, and ideally take things up a notch.
Of course, Adams must trade for the 27-year-old and work his magic in contract negotiations since Hanifin will be an unrestricted free agent. With so many players signed long-term to the Blue and Gold, this would be no easy endeavor. But it’s also not impossible, as Adams likely has enough room for one more long-term deal involving a skater.
Should the Sabres find a way to make a trade like this work, Hanifin would give them solid play in the defensive zone that Samuelsson brings. He would also give them a better scoring threat and a player capable of bringing a two-way game every night.
Unlike Tanev, who shouldn’t cost a fortune to bring over because of his age and the likelihood he’s nothing more than a rental at this point, Hanifin won’t come at a cheap price. Expect Buffalo to give up at least an early draft pick and a high-end prospect at minimum if they worked their way into talking Hanifin into coming to town.
The Senators may agree to hand Jakob Chychrun over at the right price
This time last season, a strong contingent of Blue and Gold fans wanted to see Jakob Chychrun in a Sabres uniform. But that didn’t happen, and the former Arizona Coyote landed with their division rival, the Ottawa Senators. While some may find it unlikely to see Ottawa trading Chychrun to a division rival, it’s also important to remember that the Senators are a bad hockey team with a bad prospects pool.
Chychrun also has a contract that lasts until 2025, meaning if the Sabres want to keep him long-term should a trade like this materialize, they don’t need to rush if they plan on extending him. That’s another chip the Senators can use, and whether it’s Buffalo or even another team in the Atlantic offering some young talent, Ottawa won’t have a problem making a trade.
Like Hanifin, it will mean parting ways with at least a top prospect if not a couple of them, so that’s a tough decision Adams must make if he wants to strengthen the blue line in Samuelsson’s absence and beyond. Also, Ottawa will be expecting a high draft pick, so once again, it comes down to opportunity cost. But since Chychrun is still a young player yet an established talent, trading a couple of prospects and a draft pick isn’t too steep of a price.
Philip Broberg could be a hidden gem at a cheap price
Let’s assume the opposite now, and the Sabres embark on a rough February and find themselves out of contention come March. Does that mean they need to either sell or stand by at the deadline, or could they find a potential hidden gem and strong developmental piece?
Philip Broberg is a former eighth-overall pick who has yet to make his mark in the NHL, having played in just 79 career games. Broberg also wouldn’t create much of a salary cap hit, and as a restricted free agent, he’s someone the Sabres could trade for and sign to a short-term deal while he continues to develop.
Some fans would not be happy with this since it means Adams made yet another under-the-radar trade at best. But the fact is, Broberg is still a former first-round pick, and he was picked eighth-overall for a reason. His potential is beyond sky-high, so while the trade would look forgettable early, it shouldn’t be that way if he winds up in Buffalo or starts off in Rochester.
He’s been rather productive with the Bakersfield Condors this season, so just because this trade wouldn’t achieve blockbuster status, it’s still one that could pay the Sabres dividends in the future.
Andrew Peeke’s physical edge should attract the Sabres
Andrew Peeke has played in just 20 contests this year, but if the Blue and Gold are looking for a Mattias Samuelsson type of player to replace the imposing defenseman, Peeke would make a lot of sense here. Unlike the first three potential pieces in this article, trading for a player like Peeke would be a valid idea whether the Sabres find themselves in legitimate contention in March or if they fold and look to prepare for next season.
For one, Peeke is still very young, and his contract runs through 2026, so he would give the Sabres much help for the remainder of this season, next year, and even in 2025-26. This would give him a chance to become a long-term part of the rotation. He would also fit well with Rasmus Dahlin, Ryan Johnson, and Owen Power as his game is more than complementary to theirs.
You can also compare his edge to Connor Clifton’s, and when Samuelsson returns next season, the Sabres will have a perfectly balanced rotation. Not only would this trade make the most sense out of the five listed, but it will give the Sabres an immediate return without worrying for a couple of seasons on working toward a long-term deal for someone like Peeke.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference as of Tuesday, February 6th)