- Sabres winger Alex Tuch left today’s game against Los Angeles after crashing into the post. Fortunately, following the game, head coach Don Granato told reporters, including Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News (Twitter link) that the post-game testing was “as positive as it can be”. Tuch has certainly impressed after being acquired from Vegas and has collected seven goals and 16 assists in 25 games with Buffalo this season.
Sabres Rumors
Zemgus Girgensons And Vinnie Hinostroza Nearing Returns
- Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons returned to practice today for the first time in nearly six weeks after re-aggravating a lower-body injury, relays Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. However, he will miss at least the next two home games for Buffalo next week. Meanwhile, Hoppe adds that winger Vinnie Hinostroza could return at some point next week from his lower-body injury. The pending UFA could be of interest as a depth addition so him being able to get back in the lineup before the March 21st trade deadline is of particular importance for Buffalo.
Sabres Taking Calls On Depth Defensemen
There’s no doubt that the Buffalo Sabres will be sellers once again at this year’s Trade Deadline, but there have been many questions posed about how many desirable assets the Sabres actually have. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta can report, though, that Buffalo is “taking calls” on a good portion of their defense core, including Colin Miller, Mark Pysyk, Robert Hagg, and Will Butcher, who are all pending unrestricted free agents. Miller and Pysyk especially have had good results this season, and could command at least a mid-round pick and pose as solid depth for contending teams. The team has also received interest in power-play specialist and pending restricted free agent Victor Olofsson, per Pagnotta. While it may seem surprising that the Sabres would currently be willing to deal a young forward, it looks like Olofsson’s inconsistency and poor defensive play are making the Sabres front office question his future with the team.
Henri Jokiharju Out Week-To-Week
The Buffalo Sabres released an updated injury report today, one that still includes Drake Caggiula and Malcolm Subban listed simply as “out” as they deal with long-term issues. Will Butcher, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Jack Quinn are all now day-to-day, suggesting they’ll be back in the near future, while Henri Jokiharju has joined Colin Miller and Zemgus Girgensons in the week-to-week category.
Jokiharju is the big news, as the young defenseman left a game last week but had not yet received an official timeline. The 22-year-old has really taken a step forward this season into the legitimate top-four option that many had projected when he was selected 29th overall in 2017, a role that he will now have to vacate while he works on his recovery.
In 36 games, Jokiharju has 12 points and is averaging more than 21 minutes a game. Most of that–in fact almost all of it–has come beside Rasmus Dahlin, giving the first-overall pick a stable defensive partner to help even out his development after some up-and-down years.
Both Jokiharju and the Sabres don’t have to worry about an injury affecting contract negotiations this time around, as the young defenseman signed a three-year, $7.5MM deal in September.
Henri Jokiharju Doubtful For Sunday's Game
- After missing last night’s game against St. Louis, Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s contest in Colorado, reports Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). The 22-year-old suffered a lower-body injury in Wednesday’s loss in Montreal. The good news for Buffalo is that Jokiharju – who is logging more than 21 minutes a night – should be able to return early next week.
Trade Deadline Primer: Buffalo Sabres
With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Buffalo Sabres.
The trade deadline has been known as a selling time for the Sabres as they’ve missed the playoffs for ten straight years and are now embarking on a new rebuild as their postseason drought will be extended once again. While there is hope that some of their younger players will help them out of this playoff drought (they have performed better under Don Granato this season), Buffalo will be in an all too familiar position over the next few weeks.
Record
16-28-8, 7th in the Atlantic
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$41.49MM today, $66.38MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2022: BUF 1st, FLA 1st*, VGK 1st^, BUF 2nd, BUF 3rd, BUF 4th, NJ 5th, BUF 6th, BUF 7th
2023: BUF 1st, BUF 2nd, PHI 2nd, VGK 2nd^, BUF 4th, BUF 5th, BUF 6th, BUF 7th
*-If Florida’s pick is in the top ten, the Panthers will instead transfer their 2023 first-rounder (unprotected).
^-If Vegas’ 2022 first-round pick is in the top ten, the Golden Knights will instead transfer their 2023 first-rounder (unprotected). If that happens, the 2023 second-round pick will become a 2024 second-rounder while Buffalo would keep their 2023 third-rounder and instead transfer their 2024 third-round pick.
Trade Chips
Cody Eakin has moved at the trade deadline before and checks off two boxes that contending teams often look to fill on the fourth line. The center can win faceoffs (56.5% success rate this season, a career high) and kill penalties. At $2.25MM, the pending unrestricted free agent is overpaid for that role but if Buffalo is willing to pay that down by up to the maximum of 50%, there should be some teams interested in his services.
Robert Hagg isn’t going to light up the scoresheet but he hits, blocks shots, and can hold his own on the third pairing as he’s logging a little over 17 minutes a game. That’s not a particularly exciting profile on the surface but as teams look to add some grit and depth, the 27-year-old pending UFA should intrigue some playoff-bound teams. At $1.6MM, his deal shouldn’t need to be paid down. Colin Miller is another pending UFA blueliner that could attract some interest although an upper-body injury will keep him out for a few more weeks which won’t help his value. His price tag is higher at $3.875MM and will need some retention but he’s a right-shot defender which is an area that several teams will be looking to fill.
Victor Olofsson remains a restricted free agent to keep an eye on. The 26-year-old has gone cold in recent weeks but is a capable shooter, especially on the power play. For teams interested in adding some firepower on that front, he can help and unlike the others listed so far, he has another year of team control. But at $3.25MM, the qualifying offer could scare some teams off, especially with his eligibility for arbitration where his 20-goal season in 2019-20 could help him earn a raise. He’s not a guarantee to move but he could be someone to watch for.
For teams looking for less expensive forward depth, rental winger Vinnie Hinostroza may be of interest. He should be able to return from his lower-body injury in the next little while and with 17 points in 36 games, he’d be an offensive upgrade in the bottom six for some playoff-bound squads. He won’t be a primary target but as a depth addition closer to the deadline, there could be some interest, especially with him having an affordable $1.05MM AAV.
Johnny Boychuk’s playing career is already over but he’s an LTIR-eligible contract. Buffalo hasn’t put him on there – it’s not as if they need the cap space – but a team that could fit him under their cap and then place him on LTIR to expand their pool could come calling. Such a move is rare but there is precedent for it happening.
Others To Watch For: G Craig Anderson ($750K, UFA), F Anders Bjork ($1.6MM through 2022-23), D Will Butcher ($2.823MM, UFA)
Team Needs
1) Bang For Their Buck – The Sabres have more cap space than anyone, putting them in a position to be willing to accept bad contracts or be a third-party facilitator with retention to add some draft picks. If ownership is willing to give them the okay to do so from a budgetary perspective, it’s something GM Kevyn Adams should be looking to utilize.
2) Future Goaltending – It’s easy to say they need picks and prospects (they’ll get more of the former than the latter with their rentals) but let’s look beyond that for a moment. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is getting close to being ready for the NHL but he’s going to need a quality veteran to work with and the collection of goalies they have making the league minimum (or slightly more) isn’t going to cut it. This doesn’t have to be a need they fill now but if they’re willing to take on a contract now, getting a goalie wouldn’t be a bad idea. The same idea could be applied to bringing in a veteran defender or even a forward as Buffalo could basically use longer-term upgrades everywhere.
Qualifying Offer For Victor Olofsson Looms Large
It has been a rocky season for Sabres winger Victor Olofsson. After putting up 17 points in his first 20 games, he has struggled to produce with just seven in his last 24 contests while struggling to stay healthy. Owed a $3.25MM qualifying offer this summer, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News wonders if that may be too pricey for Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams. It’s not that they don’t have the cap space to make such an offer – they certainly do – but would it be worth qualifying him if the spot on the depth chart he’s earmarked for isn’t one that’s worth that much money? In that scenario, Olofsson would be on an overpriced contract next season which wouldn’t help his trade value. Accordingly, the 26-year-old could be a name to keep an eye on over the next few weeks if they decide that they’re better off moving him now.
Rasmus Dahlin To Return Wednesday
- The Sabres should have defenseman Rasmus Dahlin back in the lineup on Wednesday in Montreal after he missed Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury, relays Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. The 21-year-old is on pace to surpass his career highs offensively from back in his rookie season as he already has 33 points in 49 games this season while logging just shy of 24 minutes a game.
Drake Caggiula Undergoes Surgery
It’s the end of the season for Buffalo Sabres forward Drake Caggiula, who will be undergoing fusion surgery on a herniated disk today. Caggiula has been given a recovery timeline of six to eight months, according to Heather Engel of NHL.com.
Not only does that mean that Caggiula’s season ends with just 18 games played, but given his status as a pending unrestricted free agent, this surgery will also affect offseason negotiations. With no clear picture of when he will be back on the ice training, it’s hard to imagine him getting anything but a one-year, two-way contract at this point.
That’s a steep fall for the 27-year-old who once looked like he was going to be a bottom-six force for years to come. In 2017-18, his sophomore season, Caggiula scored 13 goals in 67 games for the Edmonton Oilers, racking up 147 hits with his fearless playstyle. He followed that up with another 12-goal campaign the next year, with time split between Edmonton and the Chicago Blackhawks, but hasn’t been able to crack double digits in the years since. This season, he had just two goals and five points in the 18 games, while recording just 17 hits.
It’s not to say his career is over but it will be a long recovery for a player that was already having trouble impacting the game at the NHL level. Caggiula’s future is very unclear at this point.
Morning Notes: Rangers, Memorial Cup, Cozens
Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes was clear today that he’s open for business and just before he spoke to the media, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweeted out an interesting thought. LeBrun connected the Canadiens with the New York Rangers, suggesting that Montreal “covets” some Rangers prospects and would rather add those than more draft picks.
It’s easy to understand why the Montreal front office could be interested in some of New York’s prospects, given Jeff Gorton was the one who drafted or acquired most of them, before being dismissed a little under a year ago. The Canadiens are also in discussions with former Rangers director of European scouting Nick Bobrov, according to Eric Engels of Sportsnet, who would also have familiarity with many of the team’s young players.
- The Memorial Cup has new dates after disruptions to the league schedules forced it to be pushed back. The event, which pits the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL champions and a host team against each other, will be held between June 20-29 this year. The Saint John Seadogs will be the host, and will open things up with a game against the OHL champion on the first day. Notably, this will likely be the last big scouting event before the 2022 NHL Draft, which is scheduled for July 7 in Montreal.
- Dylan Cozens has escaped a suspension but owes the league $2,235.42 for his cross-check on Brock Nelson last night. The young Buffalo Sabres forward will now have a fine on his supplementary discipline record, meaning any future incidents will be looked at with even more scrutiny. Cozens followed Nelson up the ice to deliver the cross-check from behind after it appeared as though the Islanders’ player got his stick between Cozens’ legs and earned a two-minute minor on the play.