Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams was clear this week that the team might make a move to add some defensive depth in the wake of injuries to Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju. The executive claimed it wouldn’t be a big move though, striking some of the top names off the speculation board. One that remained was Ethan Bear, given his situation with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Bear requested a trade in the past and hasn’t played at all this season, despite signing a one-year, $2.2MM deal in the summer. The right-shot defenseman might seem like the perfect answer for the Sabres right now, especially given his relatively young age. While Buffalo has discussed Bear with the Hurricanes, according to Darren Dreger of TSN, he doesn’t believe they are willing to give up an asset at this point.
The Hurricanes are clearly not willing to just give Bear away, even with the awkwardness surrounding the situation. The 25-year-old does still hold some value as an asset. It also makes sense that the Sabres aren’t willing to pay for someone like that, given they won’t have much room for him once everyone is healthy. Samuelsson avoided a long-term injury and is expected back in a few weeks, meaning the available minutes will quickly disappear.
If the Sabres do make an addition, it seems more likely to be a veteran depth player that can move in and out of the lineup when necessary. For Carolina, that means one fewer team on the market for Bear, who they seem in no rush to move.
Penguins have spare defensemen and need some cap relief.