3 - Zemgus Girgensons, F
I didn’t want to put Zemgus Girgensons here, but Peyton Krebs is young and could still be part of the team’s long-term plans, Eric Robinson has been a good fit on the fourth line, and with Kyle Okposo being the team captain, it left Girgensons. Contending teams looking to increase their physicality on the lower lines will be interested in him, and Girgensons has also shown to be one of a few skaters in Buffalo willing to set himself up around the net.
Like Olofsson, Girgensons won’t bring the Buffalo Sabres a blockbuster deal, but once again, he provides value to teams that need someone to bring an edge. If this were to occur hypothetically along with the Olofsson deal, then Buffalo can recall Tyson Jost. This, in conjunction with a player like Kulich (see previous slide), gives them enough to ride out the year.
Even if Adams moved the players mentioned, it doesn’t mean the Blue and Gold are giving up on the season. The opposite may even be true, as it could ironically put the best overall product onto the ice, even if they are taking a loss in Girgensons.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)