In part one of this two-part exercise, we speculated on potential trade frameworks for the Buffalo Sabres’. Particularly, as they pertain to the team’s expiring assets on offense. In part two, we’ll replicate the exercise, this time focusing on the Sabres’ pending UFA defensemen.

While the forward group did yield some interesting possibilities, the Sabres’ most valuable trade deadline assets exist on the blue line. It remains to be seen just how many defenseman Kevyn Adams is willing to part with, but he could deal as many as four of them if he felt so inclined.

For additional reference, I’ve posted the Sabres’ current contract list below, courtesy of CapFriendly.

There’s a lot to prognosticate here. As was the case in part one, we’ll examine each player on the list and determine both left-brain (i.e. boring, logical, standard “player-for-pick” trades), and right-brain (i.e. trades that would occur if NBA GM’s got to run the NHL trade deadline) trade proposals.

Colin Miller

As a competent right-shot defenseman, Miller is the most valuable chip in Adams’ pocket, assuming he can get back to full health by the deadline. On January 20, Miller underwent surgery for an undisclosed injury. At the time of the procedure, his timeline for a return was set at six weeks (presumably 3-4 weeks from a return to the lineup as of today).

Before that, Miller was in the midst of his best season as a Sabre. Through 32 games, he registered 12 points (his best pace since 2017-18), and his xGA/60 rate of 2.34 is still good for second on the Buffalo blue line.

Ultimately, Miller is a very average NHL defenseman, but that’s okay. Average is still valuable, as long as you are a right-side shooter. Initially, there were reports that Adams was seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Miller. That price was lofty enough before his injury and seems even more unachievable now.

Left-Brain Trade: Miller (50% retained) to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2023 2^nd-Round Pick, 2022 5^th-Round Pick

Boring and basic. Second-pairing righty on an expiring deal, and a couple of picks in return. The Canucks need reinforcements on the right side of their defense. Currently, that group is made up of Tyler Myers, Luke Schenn, and Tyler Burroughs.

Vancouver has just under $3 million in cap to work with, which isn’t quite enough to absorb the entirety of Miller’s $3.875 million salary. So, the Sabres retain half, and the Canucks throw them an extra late-round pick for their trouble.

Right-Brain Trade: Miller (50% retained), Jacob Bryson, and a 2022 5^th (New Jersey) to the Boston Bruins for Connor Clifton and Jake DeBrusk

This is by far the most interesting trade I came up with within this endeavor. The Bruins need an upgrade on defense, and they get two of them in Miller and Bryson. Your general reaction to this proposal is likely directly related to how much you like DeBrusk.

I think he’s monumentally overrated. At 25 years old, he’s less than a half-point-per-game player, and his underlying metrics are average. As the other piece of this deal, Clifton is another right-shot entity whose contract doesn’t expire until the end of next season. He holds a very manageable cap hit ($1 million AAV) and he’d fill a role in a Sabres organization that is currently devoid of right-handed assets for next season.

On the other side, Boston receives a player in Miller who probably competes with Brandon Carlo for a spot on the second-pairing. Bryson (who is an RFA at the end of the year) effectively replaces Derek Forbort on the bottom pair. It’s a significant upgrade, and the Sabres help make the money work by retaining half of Miller’s salary.

I recognize that my valuation on the Sabres’ side of the deal may be a little light, but again, I don’t have a high opinion of DeBrusk. In reality, the New Jersey fifth would probably need to become a third, or perhaps even a second to make the Bruins bite (which I wouldn’t be in favor of).

Robert Hagg

Hagg is an interesting asset. I’m genuinely curious what the Sabres end up getting for him. He’s a physical left-handed defender, who can kill penalties but largely struggles at five-on-five. While I feel that he’s a below-average NHL player, to me he’s been a little bit better than his underlying numbers indicate (if only marginally so).

Regardless, he’s the exact type of defenseman that playoff teams love to add, especially if they plan on making a deep run. He can use his physicality to wear down opposing forecheckers during the playoffs where whistles are often swallowed. It’s the exact reason why the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Zach Bogosian a couple of years ago.

Left-Brain Trade: Hagg to the Los Angeles Kings for a 2022 4^th-Round Pick

The Kings have been desperate for defensive help since the beginning of the season. It’s been widely reported that they’re still in the market for a blueliner, particularly on the left side. Hagg seems like a good fit, especially if the Kings are averse to spending a high draft choice.

Right-Brain Trade: Hagg and Colin Miller to the Los Angeles Kings for Samuel Fagemo, and a 2022 3^rd-round pick (Pittsburgh)

Miller makes another appearance here because the Kings need more than one player to reinforce their defense. I mean, just look at this group they’re playing with right now.
*Most recent practice lines, courtesy of Daily Faceoff

That’s rough, and now that Michael Anderson has been placed on injured reserve, a bad situation becomes all the direr. Alex Edler is still far from a return, and Sean Walker is out for the season. In exchange for two players who would immediately slot into their defensive top-six, the Kings give up a talented prospect in Fagemo.

The 21-year-old has shown well in AHL action this year, posting 21 points in 34 games for the Ontario Reign. He’s far from a slam-dunk prospect, so the Kings add a third-rounder to sweeten the return for Buffalo. With the amount of young forward depth they possess, it’s a palatable price to finally have enough pieces to assemble an NHL-caliber blue line.

Will Butcher

Butcher’s situation is similar to what I encountered with Drake Caggiula in the first piece of this exercise. Sure, he’s a tradeable asset, but there are scores of superior options out there. At most, he’d garner a late-round pick from a team with enough cap space to accommodate him.

Left-Brain Trade: Butcher to the Los Angeles Kings for a 2022 7^th-Round Pick

Simple trade here. If the Kings can make a bigger splash elsewhere in their defensive top-four, they could (and probably should) still look for more depth as they enter the postseason. Butcher is a fine enough seventh-defenseman on a contending team.

Right-Brain Trade: Butcher to The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport for the return of the Sabres-branded duffel bag he left there in 2017

As a condition of the trade, Tage Thompson must volunteer once a month to fly a high-profile passenger on a private charter with his massive wingspan.

Mark Pysyk

I intentionally saved Pysyk for last because I’d prefer the Sabres try to re-sign him. He’s been a steady, impactful defenseman on the right side, and as previously mentioned, the Sabres have a dearth of assets in that area moving forward.

At 30 years old, he is has posted consistently positive xGA numbers for the better part of a decade. With the influx of young, left-shot defensemen coming up through the Sabres’ system, he seems like the quintessential “veteran presence” to help aid their transitions to the NHL.

Alas, this is reality, and as an expiring UFA, there is a possibility that he could be traded if the right offer comes along. While it doesn’t sound like the Sabres are actively shopping him, a lot can happen between now and the trade deadline.

Left-Brain Trade: Pysyk to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2023 3^rd-round pick

The Oilers are short on money, and they have telegraphed their intent to add talent on their blue line. Pysyk is inexpensive and effective. It seems like a pretty logical match to send him home to Alberta to try and force the Oilers into a playoff spot.

Right-Brain Trade: Pysyk and Arttu Ruotsalainen to the Nashville Predators for Yakov Trenin and a 2022 4^th-Round Pick

Looking at the Predators’ blue line, they have depth, but it’s mostly bad depth. They also have a ton of cap space (over $27 million as of today) for a team that is so firmly in playoff position. Pysyk would provide an immediate upgrade to their third-pairing.

In return, I wanted Trenin included in this deal. He will be an RFA at the end of the season, and he’s an under-the-radar player I’ve always really liked. In addition to his perpetually strong defensive metrics, he has the offensive ability to go with it. He’s a fantastic two-way winger to pair with a young center like Peyton Krebs or Dylan Cozens.

Ruotsalainen has offensive upside as he’s continued to produce points at the AHL level. I feel that he never got a fair shake in Buffalo. Don Granato didn’t seem keen on him from the very beginning. So, he gets a change of scenery on a team that can better facilitate his skillset.

Before the trade, Adams and Pysyk’s agent have an informal agreement that his client will return to Buffalo as a UFA signing this summer, because this is my article and that’s what I want, damn it.

Closing Thoughts

There are a lot of ways this deadline could go for the Sabres. At a minimum, I’d expect 3-4 of their expiring assets to be moved for futures, but I wouldn’t be stunned to see 5-6 of them moved either. Hopefully, the players on injured reserve can get healthy ahead of time. Availability will be huge in determining market value.

Either way, the Sabres are in a position to acquire value for assets who do not figure into the team’s long-term complexion. While I don’t foresee a blockbuster deal on the horizon, this alone is the reason for excitement as we inch closer to March 21.

Part One Link:

Advanced Metrics courtesy of Evolving Hockey

Charts courtesy of Evolving Hockey and JFresh Hockey