December 12, 2024 | 8:51pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

SABRES HAVING TRADE TALKS, BUT PROCEEDING WITH CAUTION

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams

The Buffalo Sabres, currently second last in the Eastern Conference, are looking to give their roster a jolt and improve their club, and GM Kevyn Adams has been actively exploring the trade market. However, while he is evaluating his options, a major move may not necessarily be imminent.

While the Sabres rank 18th in the NHL in goals-for per game, they sit 26th in the League in goals-against per game and have yet to put a consistent stretch of winning hockey together this season.

Adams is open to shaking things up, but there don’t appear to be any available lifelines at the moment.

On Thursday’s “Insider Trading” segment on TSN, Darren Dreger reported that while Adams is on the hunt, that “not necessarily” mean a move is on the horizon.

“We know that general manager Kevyn Adams delivered that message to the media (in his) availability late last week,” Dreger said. “Of course, calls are coming in, but calls are looking for younger talent like Jack Quinn and others.

“Adams isn’t doing that, I mean, that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. He is open to a trade that helps them now, but that too is common sense. You can’t force it.”

If a big move doesn’t become available this season and the team cannot climb into the playoff race, they will shift their focus, once again, to the next season and could move out some players on expiring deals like forwards Jason Zucker, Jordan Greenway and Nic Aube-Kubel, goalie James Reimer, and defencemen Henri Jokiharju, Dennis Gilbert and Jacob Bryson.

The Sabres have plenty of salary cap space to play with and can add a substantial contract to their roster, if Adams finds the right move. The team could also try to weaponize its cap space later in the season to collect additional assets, such as draft picks, to potentially package up in other future moves to bolster their roster.