Sabres move could be on the horizon amid ominous signal

The Buffalo Sabres have been the subject of speculation in recent days. Chatter has sprung up mainly around Tage Thompson. The club has consistently denied that Thompson is going anywhere, at least that what a source close to the club told RG Media on November 12. But discerning minds know better.

The Sabres are once again stuck in neutral this season. The talk of a rebuild of the rebuild has picked up. But one ominous sign on Thursday night may indicate something’s afoot.

Insider David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period tweeted the following before the Toronto Maple Leafs-Los Angeles Kings game at Scotiabank Arena:

Now, it could be that Kevyn Adams wanted to blow off some steam and drive all the way from Buffalo to Toronto to kick back and catch a West Coast team. It’s not like we don’t all do that from time to time. Driving for hours or taking a short flight to catch a sports match or visit a good restaurant is not something uncommon these days.

But sarcasm aside, why in the world would Adams catch the Leafs-Kings game on a weeknight? That situation could signal one of two things.

First, Adams wanted to talk to the Kings. Some of the best business deals are done in person. So, with Toronto much closer to Buffalo than California, Adams hopped the border to speak with the Kings.

The other option is that he was scouting the Leafs. The Kings were irrelevant, and there’s someone on the Leafs he wanted to take a look at. After all, seeing players in live action is much better than watching film or replays.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence. It could be that Pagnotta is just stirring the pot. But having Adams in attendance is a curious sign that may be a harbinger for something to come.

Sabres and Maple Leafs could make interesting trade partners

The Sabres and Maple Leafs are both stuck in the Atlantic Division cellar. While the Leafs are four points ahead of the Sabres, Toronto is taking on tons of water at the moment. They have lineup holes everywhere and need help.

The Maple Leafs are down two of their top four centers. Their starting netminder is out, while the blueline sustained a major loss a couple of weeks ago.

While the Sabres don’t exactly have a surplus of assets, both clubs could swap pieces to help each other out. Of course, that depends on each team’s objectives. If the Sabres are looking to chop things up, sending someone like Tage Thompson to Toronto for, say, Easton Cowan and Nick Robertson could be a step in that direction.

But if the Sabres think they have the chops to compete, perhaps a blockbuster could be on the horizon. Both clubs could use the opportunity to push the reset button amid disappointing starts to the season.

Ultimately, the Sabres may not do anything for now. But the pressure may get to a boiling point even before Thanksgiving. That’s why Kevyn Adams may have no other choice but to make a move. And that’s not a good place for a GM to be in.