The Sabres have a handful of players that could draw interest at the trade deadline

The Buffalo Sabres find themselves in a familiar spot at the NHL trade deadline. They’re looking to sell off pieces to bring back some assets for the future. The slight difference this year is that the Sabres actually have a few players that could draw interest around the league.

The April 12th deadline is just over two weeks away. It feels like a good time to set the landscape for the Sabres and review the players that they’ll have in the market. In an attempt to add some fun to this exercise, I’ll share what I think they should do with these specific players and then what I predict will actually happen.

Eric Staal | C | UFA

While it was a good idea, the Staal experiment hasn’t worked. The veteran center has three goals and 10 points in 31 games. You can tell that he has lost a step and the wall may have arrived for the 36-year-old. At this point, I wouldn’t expect a huge return for Staal.

What I would do: The best option here for the player and the team is to find a trade. Staal deserves a shot to chase another Stanley Cup. He came to Buffalo with an open mind and he should be shown respect for an opportunity to win.

What will happen: He’ll be traded to a contender. The Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars are a few teams that I’ve been told that have expressed early interest. I wouldn’t expect anything more than a mid-round pick in return.

Brandon Montour | RD | UFA

The Sabres have had Montour on the trade block for some time now. They’re thin on the blue line, so it makes sense that they held onto him until now. Montour’s time in Buffalo hasn’t been a success. He’s inconsistent, but if I’m being honest he has played better overall than what we saw last season.

What I would do: I would have moved Montour back in the offseason.

What will happen: Montour is a good enough player that he’ll have interest in his services around the league. I believe he’ll be traded, but I wonder if the Sabres will need to retain some of his $3.85 million cap hit.

Tobias Rieder | LW | UFA

Toby Rieder has been a good free agent signing for Kevyn Adams. He’s battled injury issues as of late, but when healthy was effective in the role he was asked to play. He’s a player some teams could have interest in with his $700k salary. He can play in all situations, brings speed, and has playoff experience. The return wouldn’t be much, but something is better than nothing.

What I would do: Find a trade partner and let a younger player take his spot to finish the season.

What will happen: With how quiet the deadline is setting up to be, I don’t believe he’ll be traded.

Taylor Hall | LW | UFA

Taylor Hall is one of the bigger names that will be on the market. I think the position of the Sabres has changed over the last few weeks here. It sounded as though both sides had a desire to get a contract extension done. With how poorly things have gone, the Sabres may have a desire to get some assets for Hall. If they still have a desire to bring him back, they can talk to him in free agency.

It’ll be interesting to see what the return would be for him. The Sabres may have to retain a good portion of his $8 million cap hit to maximize value in a trade. His boxscore stats are down again, but he has played better than those numbers indicate. He’s shooting 5.8 goals below expected according to Moneypuck. That’s the second-lowest in the league.

I’m not sure that it’s a given that he brings back a first-round pick to the Sabres. In fact, I would not expect a first-rounder and a prospect-type return.

An interesting team to watch for Hall is going to be the Boston Bruins. They had an interest in him in the offseason and I’ve heard about some early smoke with them and Hall. This could also be a situation where the Sabres would get back a player like Jake DeBrusk instead of draft capital or picks. More would have to come from the Sabres’ end of things in that scenario.

A trade for picks still seems like the likely route in a Hall trade.

To be clear, these are just early discussions. Nothing I’m aware of is close on Hall at this point.

What I would do: Find a trade to see if you can maximize the value of the player.

What I think will happen: Honestly, I believe he’s moved because some players that would go in a normal season will not be on the move. Therefore, the Sabres will need to get the assets that they can.

Colin Miller | RD | One-year, $3.875 million

The veteran defenseman could be on the move if the Sabres find the right deal. The tricky part here is the expansion draft. Rasmus Ristolainen and Colin Miller are the only two players on the roster currently that would meet the exposure criteria of being under contract in the 2021-22 season. Henri Jokiharju and Rasmus Dahlin are restricted free agents. Will Borgen hasn’t met the games played requirement.

If the Sabres do move Miller that would mean that Ristolainen would need to be exposed in the draft. I’m fine with that, but I don’t know that Adams would feel the same.

What I would do: If the right deal is there, I move him. He’s a replaceable player on this roster.

What I think will happen: Miller remains on the roster past the deadline. The Sabres are shorthanded on the blue line still and I think the expansion draft will play a part.

Cody Eakin | C/W | One-year, $2.25 million

That Eakin signing has gone as poorly as a lot of people predicted it would have when it was announced. His only goal of the season is an empty-netter and he is a liability on the ice. The Sabres would like to move him if possible, but I don’t see a market for him.

What I would do: Forget a trade, just waive him.

What will happen: Nothing.