As the trade deadline approaches, one thought on everyone's mind is what the Sabres are going to do to improve this team. It was reported yesterday that the LA Kings are interested in forward Alex Tuch, which is one of the destinations that I had Tuch going in a previous article. Tuch would fit the Kings' offense well, but the question would be the return the Sabres would get for Tuch.
It has been reported that GM Kevyn Adams is interested in Jordan Spence, a young defenceman for the Kings. At just 23 years old, Spence has already been a key piece to the LA Kings in his young career. Spence made his NHL debut at the age of 19 and has played over 150 games with the Kings in his career, including two playoff runs as well.
Spence has been successful everywhere he has played, in the Quebec Majors Junior Hockey League, Spence won a handful of awards. The long list includes Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, Most Points by a Rookie, and as a Defenseman, Defensive Player of the Year, and two All-Star selections. In his one year in the AHL, Spence got the All-Rookie Team and another All-Star appearance. To top it all off, he also won a silver medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Classic.
Spence is a balanced player with quick feet, which allows him to generate a good top speed and excellent acceleration. He’s also an excellent passer with really good on-ice vision and has let that talent show with over 40 assists in his young career.
As the Sabres battle the salary cap, Tuch to the Kings still wouldn’t be the worst move in my opinion. Even though Tuch is a hometown guy who has put up excellent numbers during his time in Buffalo, his 4.75 million dollar cap hit is the only concern that Adams has currently. If Adams can get a big return for Tuch, I think he would take the chance and explore a trade with either side. If the Sabres can unload a bigger contract like Cozens or Zucker, then I think Tuch staying in a Sabres uniform would make sense. But if the return is anything like Spence, where you are getting a successful young player, with a lot of NHL experience, and playoff experience, then I think a trade and a chance has to be given to someone with A+ potential.