The Buffalo Sabres are going through some rough times on the ice in 2024-25. Unfortunately, the Sabres remain one in all the worst teams within the NHL right now. Naturally, quite a few trade rumors have emerged because of this of Buffalo’s poor play. With the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline now five weeks away, those trade rumors are prone to kick into high gear.
The Sabres reportedly nearly traded Dylan Cozens before the Christmas break. Whether Cozens is on the move this winter stays to be seen. In any event, Buffalo is bound to be a team to regulate because the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline draws near.
Despite their likely status as a seller, Buffalo may make additions to their roster. In a lackluster trade market, they may make some under-the-radar moves to deal with short and long-term holes within the lineup. How these moves manifest definitely stays to be seen. In any event, it would not be a shock to see some “hockey trades,” should you will, from the Sabres.
Granted, Buffalo has a lot of flaws they may address by the NHL Trade Deadline. It’s hard to pick which flaw with the roster have to be addressed before any others. Nevertheless, there’s a certain area of the ice they may stand to deal with sooner somewhat than later. It could save them from a dangerous contract or other moves during NHL Free Agency over the summer.
The Sabres need a right-shot defenseman
The Buffalo Sabres have one in all the higher trios on the left side of a blueline within the NHL. Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Bowen Byram are an incredible group any team would love to construct around. Nevertheless, the Sabres wouldn’t have the identical form of depth on the correct side of the blueline.
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Veteran defenseman Connor Clifton is the team’s usual selection to play on the highest pairing alongside Dahlin. Henri Jokiharju has emerged as an underrated right-shot defenseman in his own right, as well. Nevertheless, the 25-year-old is a restricted free agent at the tip of this season. And he has turn into a possible trade candidate for the Sabres because of this.
As of now, Dahlin and Power are playing on their off side. This likely changes when Clifton returns to the lineup once he gets over an illness he’s coping with. But this doesn’t change the indisputable fact that the team has a gluttony of premier left-shot defensemen. Adding a long-term, right-shot option on the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline can be a wise move for the Sabres.
Byram is a Sabres trade candidate in his own right. Like Jokiharju, he’s a restricted free agent at the tip of the season. Byram is probably going headed for quite the contract extension, as well. He has played solid hockey for Buffalo after a trade from the Colorado Avalanche in 2023-24. With the salary cap set to leap, it will not be a surprise to see Byram money in.
The Sabres may not wish to be the team paying him, though. Especially after handing expensive contracts to Dahlin and Power in recent offseasons. Because of this, they may look to trade Byram before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. In return, they may add a right-shot defenseman who serves to raised balance their lineup.
Buffalo definitely could go about adding a long-term, right-shot defenseman in a lot of ways. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how they address the matter. All that matters is that they discover a defenseman who matches their roster and might help them compete sooner somewhat than later.
