Let the trade talk begin!
The NHL trade deadline is on March 8th, and while there is still some time, the trade talk is starting to heat up. To no surprise, the Buffalo Sabres have some players who are generating interests. Not only that, but they are linked to other players as well. if you're an NHL fan, this is an exciting time of year. No matter what sport you watch, the trade deadline and free agency always has you looking on your phone.
This article will have everything. From the players on the team to players on other teams that Buffalo are interested in supposedly. Enough talk, let's dive in, shall we?
Erik Johnson
Let's start with defenseman Erik Johnson. After signing a one year deal with the Sabres in the offseason, Johnson's name is starting to pop up in trade rumors. According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, he says Johnson is a possible candidate, but Buffalo would need to talk about it with him and his agent.
David Pagnotta:
— The Sabre Report (@TheSabreReport) February 9, 2024
“Erik Johnson does not own any no-trade protection, but out of respect to the player, the Sabres will not trade him without first connecting with him and his agent Pat Brisson.
Such a move, though, is more likely to occur closer to the trade deadline.” pic.twitter.com/P3q0F5hyOb
In 43 games played with the Sabres this season, Johnson only has three goals. Ever since he signed with Buffalo, no one expected him to be a player who would rack up assists or score some goals. As an older player, he was brought in to help mentor the youth on the roster. Buffalo is the youngest team in the NHL and Johnson is the perfect mentor.
For rookie defenseman Ryan Johnson, he has been playing on the same pairing as Erik. Again, general manager Kevyn Adams brought in Erik to be a leader and to help the Sabres blue line. I personally would not be surprised if he got dealt to a playoff team. Experience matters in the playoffs and he would be the perfect fit for a team trying to win a championship.
Latest on Casey Mittelstadt
Up next, Casey Mittelstadt. If there is one guy who is getting the most conversation surrounding the Sabres, it's Casey. He is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and will be due for a contract extension. Mittelstadt with 51 games played is having another solid season with 12 goals, 30 assists for 42 points leading the team in that category.
According to Pagnotta, Buffalo is taking calls on Mittelstadt. While Buffalo is not interested in moving Casey, they are still doing their due diligence and seeing what the market is like for him. It's also important to note in the article that Casey wants to stay with the Sabres, but Adams is going to see what teams are asking for. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but I believe Mittelstadt will be the name to watch on Buffalo.
Teams have called about Alex Tuch
Elliotte Friedman via 32 TP:
— The Sabre Report (@TheSabreReport) February 12, 2024
"By the way, the other thing I heard on the weekend was I think some teams asked Buffalo about Tuch, and I think Buffalo just said 'We're not doing that'. " pic.twitter.com/8KIkWJBywq
This one might be a surprise, but according to Elliotte Friedman, it sounds like teams have checked on the availability of forward Alex Tuch. As you can see in the tweet above with credit to The Sabre Report, it doesn't look like Adams has any plans on trading Alex. In 44 games played, Tuch has 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points.
Even though it's been a down year for the Syracuse native, Tuch is still a big part of the Sabres core. After all, he was the main piece coming to Buffalo in the Jack Eichel trade a couple of years ago. It did catch me off guard reading about it, but as I mentioned earlier, I don't think he will be dealt. He is a leader on this team and a big part of it. It is a down year for him, but he is not the only one.
Which prospect(s) could be on the move?
Before we get into the players Buffalo is interested in, let's talk about prospects who might be on the move. On his podcast 32 Thoughts, Friedman brought up that some prospects could be used in trades to help the team right now. One player who could be marked safe is Jiri Kulich. He is having another good season with the Rochester Americans with 16 goals and nine assists in 33 games played. His good season landed him in the AHL All Star Game.
Kulich is one of the few good prospects in the Sabres system. In my opinion, trading Kulich would not be smart on Kevyn Adams part. He does have a future with Buffalo, and it's very possible he'll be on the team full time soon.
Players linked to the Sabres
Before I tell you about some players linked to Buffalo, it's worth mentioning that forward Victor Olofsson has been linked to the Colorado Avalanche. Okay, let's get into players the Sabres are reportedly interested in.
Interesting. Before this update the Sabres were not connected to any players on the list.
— The Sabre Report (@TheSabreReport) February 12, 2024
Now they're supposedly being linked to Kaapo Kakko, Elvis Merzlikins, Scott Laughton, and John Gibson.
And Victor Olofsson has been linked to Colorado. https://t.co/797bNWfWVK
The Fourth Period mentions there are some names linked to Buffalo. In the article, Kaapo Kakko, Elvis Merzlikins, Scott Laughton and John Gibson are rumored to be possible names for the Sabres to acquire. In my opinion, Gibson and Merzlikins are the two names who stand out to me. While Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is playing great, it wouldn't hurt to add another goaltender.
Eric Comrie has been the backup, and his contract is up at the end of the season, so it is possible Adams could upgrade the goaltending. I am a little surprised there are no defenseman linked to Buffalo, but a lot can change between now and March 8th.
Credit to The Sabre Report for all the tweets and a huge credit to David Pagnotta and Elliotte Friedman as well.
feed