Hockey Trade Rumours: Elliotte Friedman Reports Sabres GM Kevyn Adams Actively Looking to Make Major Moves
The Buffalo Sabres haven't made the playoffs since 2011 and odds are they won't this year given the stacked Atlantic Division.
But GM, Kevyn Adams, isn't just sitting back; he's actively looking to make some moves to improve the team. So, where does he need to focus his efforts?
Buffalo had a busy offseason, adding two goalies, a number of depth defensemen, and five new forwards to the NHL roster. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has been contacting NHL teams in an attempt to strengthen the team through trade.
First up, what to do about the second-line center position? One option is to move Dylan Cozens to the wing , which could open the door for Jiri Kulich to step up and take on that second-line role.
If needed, they could rotate Krebs up the lineup, but then what happens to Jack Quinn? He might be someone Adams could trade, demote to the AHL's Rochester Americans to get some more experience. And what about Zach Benson? It sounds like they're trying to make that work, especially with the idea of moving Cozens to the wing and pairing Ryan McLeod with Jordan Greenway and Dylan Cozens.
Another big need for this team is a solid, physical defenseman who can actually clear the front of the net and defend his zone. If Owen Power is going to focus on offense and play a no-contact game, maybe Adams should consider moving him to forward or even trading him.
When Buffalo traded Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche last deadline, they still need that stay-at-home defensive defenseman in their top four. It's clear that Bowen Byram, who came over in that deal, hasn't gelled well with either Rasmus Dahlin or Power.
The following are a few possible pending free agents on struggling teams:
Robby Fabbri, Anaheim Ducks
Mikael Granlund, San Jose Sharks
Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
Kyle Palmieri, New York Islanders
Gustav Nyquist, Nashville Predators
Taylor Hall, Chicago Blackhawks
Ryan Donato, Chicago Blackhawks
The Sabres have some pieces in place, like Tage Thomson who has 7 goals and 12 points in 10 games so far, but there's still work to be done if they want to snap the playoff drought: Let's see what Adams can pull off between now and the trade deadline in March.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 2 | 57 ANSWERS Hockey Trade Rumours: Elliotte Friedman Reports Sabres GM Kevyn Adams Actively Looking to Make Major Moves What Do You Think the Sabres Need Most to Improve This Season? | ||
| A strong second-line center | 10 | 17.5 % |
| A big, physical stay-at-home defenseman | 24 | 42.1 % |
| More internal offensive depth | 23 | 40.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
