The Buffalo Sabers have not had a good season. The trading smoke started pouring out of the windows of KeyBank Center almost immediately, with many fans focused on it Jack Eichel and whether he would eventually demand. The young star hasn’t even sniffed the playoffs since entering the league, but according to Sabers GM Kevyn Adams has not requested a transaction at this time.
Even if it’s not Eichel on the way, the Sabers seem to be gearing up for a busy few months. Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday Headlines that Buffalo is “wide open” on business and that they listen to everyone. The insider specifically mentioned Sam Reinhart, but noted that there is nothing off the table:
… They listen to all options. I think there are some things that people think they will or will not do. I have heard that many questions have been asked about it Sam ReinhartI’ve heard questions have been asked about it Eric Staal in addition to some of the other names you might expect. Nashville is out there, Detroit is out there, but Buffalo is the team that’s definitely out there and again the word is they listen to all the possibilities.
Four different Sabers players were featured on The Athletic’s recent Trade Deadline Big Board: Jerk, Brandon Montour Casey Mittelstadt and Taylor HallOf that group, only Hall has any trade protection in its contract. The former Hart Trophy winner signed a one-year contract with Buffalo off-season, which included a clause stating he couldn’t move so he could determine his destination. While excited about the idea of playing alongside Eichel, Hall has scored just two goals and 13 points so far this season and was again eliminated today in the team’s last defeat.
Hall, Staal and Montour represent the best of the hanging unrestricted free agents in the squad, though perhaps lesser names such as Tobias Rieder can also be interesting on the deadline. It might not just be the conventional sell-off for a team like Buffalo, who somehow have to find a way to completely turn the culture around and get some excitement back on the rink.
There is still just over a month left before the 2021 trading deadline, but that doesn’t really matter at this point. The Sabers are now 6-13-3 and look full in the East Division. The playoffs are not a realistic outcome and the sooner they trade an expiring asset, the more they can get back.