According to multiple reports, the Buffalo Sabres front office has been one of the more active groups in terms of trade discussions across the NHL over the last few weeks.
Currently sporting a 7-8-1 record, Buffalo sits outside the playoff picture in the Atlantic Division once again. Despite having the NHL’s youngest roster, expectations were high amongst the Sabres fanbase that their young core would be ready to take the next step in 2024-25, and end their decade plus playoff drought.
The last time the Sabres reached the postseason was 2010-11 when they lost in 7 games to the Philadelphia Flyers in the conference quarterfinals. As a result, GM Kevyn Adams is likely feeling some added pressure to revamp his lineup before the season begins to slip away.
“You know, the Sabres are good, then they’re not so good. And it’s that inconsistency that’s powering Kevyn Adams, the general manager there, to engage in more conversation than the average GM,” NHL insider Darren Dreger said. “Now I wouldn’t say anything is imminent there, and he doesn’t really want to tackle the core of their top young NHL players, but they’ve got a good pool of prospects.”
“Bo Byram’s name as an example, has been out there. There’s an experienced defenceman. I can’t see him getting traded by the Buffalo Sabres, and that’s unless the return is can’t miss. But I would say that Adams is among the more interested in listening to what’s available on that trade front.”
The 23 year old blue liner was acquired last season in exchange for forward Casey Mittelstadt. While his name may be generating interest from other clubs, Adams doesn’t seem to be willing to part with Byram for the time being unless he receives an offer that blows him away.
The Sabres have already made some changes around the peripheries of their roster, claiming veteran net minder James Reimer from the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. While that move will add some depth to their crease, it likely won’t move the needle much in terms of on ice production.
Instead, Adams & co. will likely see if they can find a suitor for some of their expiring contracts in order to add to their core. Players such as 32 year old Jason Zucker, 27 year old Jordan Greenway, and 28 year old Nicolas Aube-Kubel are likely to be dangled on the trade market to see if there’s a team looking for some veteran additions.
As the league approaches American Thanksgiving, front offices across the NHL will begin taking stock of what their rosters look like, as history has been unkind to those who find themselves outside of the playoff picture at that juncture of the schedule.
Since the 2005-06 season (COVID affected seasons notwithstanding) there have been 240 teams that sat in a playoff spot as of American Thanksgiving, which usually marks roughly the quarter way mark of the regular season. Of those teams, 184 have gone on to make the post-season, working out to be a 76.7% success rate. In terms of the 56 teams in that group who failed to make the playoffs, 31 were within a single point of the final wild-card berth.
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