5 defensemen the Sabres must consider trading for after Samuelsson’s injury

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.