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Sabres Are Buyers and Sellers

February 24, 2020, 12:10 PM ET [21 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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The Buffalo Sabres have subtracted two forwards in exchange for another forward.

Weird, eh?

The team with the surplus of NHL defenseman traded for two forwards while bidding adieu to two veteran forwards.



Jason Botterill has traded forwards Conor Sheary and Evan Rodriguez to his former employers the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Dominik Kahun.



At first blush, I love this trade. Kahun plays all three forward positions and is responsible on the defensive side of the puck. Kahun, 24, has 10G,17A in 50 games for the Pens this season. Kahun is averaging 2.31 points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, which ranked sixth on the Penguins.




Sheary is on an expiring contract that pays his $3M AAV and likely was not going to be re-signed by Botterill as a UFA.



Like Zach Bogosian, Rodrigues requested a trade in December. Rodrigues will be RFA this summer when his $2M AAV deal expires.


Kahun is a pending RFA and is earning $925K this season.


The diminutive Sheary scores 48 goals in 184 games with the Penguins from 2015-18, adding 13 more in 57 playoff games while playing for Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2016 and 2017. Sheary was traded to Buffalo in the summer of 2018 in a deal meant to create salary-cap space space did Jim Rutherford.

Sheary scored 23 goals and 30 assists in 133 games with Buffalo, including 9 goals and 10 assists in 55 games this season.

Kahun was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last summer in a trade for defenseman Olli Maatta. Kahun rode shotgun for Geno Malkin this season. Kahun suffered a concussion and. Issss games earlier this season

Rodrigues, 26, has five goals and four assist this season and has played in 192 NHL games in five seasons With the Sabres.





**








I have been telling for some time that Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill is a buyer. Contrary to what the “insiders” were saying before the trade deadline, the Sabres are going all in for a playoff berth this season.

They don’t know.

Today, Botterill added some serious grit and skill by trading a fifth round pick to New Jersey for
veteran hammer Wayne Simmonds.

Jack Eichel is smiling widely with news that Simmonds will protecting his new teammates and opening huge swaths of open ice for the skilled guys to create in.

Eichel is in the Hart Trophy discussion for NHL with his 25 goals and counting. Eichel will thrive with a heavy player in the lineup every night to provide protection for him and Samson Reinhart, Jeff Skinner, Victor Olofsson, Rasmus Dahlin, Jimmy Vesey, Marcus Johansson and the Buffako skilled forwards and D.

Do you honestly think players like Erik Cernak will be head hunting Rasmus Dahlin while Wayne Simmonds is wearing the Crossed Swords sweater?

Simmonds holds opponents accountable and he has the backs of his teammates at all times.


The Devils are absorbing 50% of the remainder of Simmonds’ $5M AAV. Simmonds is UFA this summer.

Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald and Jason Botterill we’re front office teammates in Pittsburgh.




Simmonds, 31, adds immediate jam, snarl and skill to the Buffalo roster that has lacked these elements this season.

The Sabres now trail Toronto by just 6 points in the Atlantic Division standings. They now will stab westward for four games to Colorado, Vegas, Arizona, and Winnipeg. They next play at home on March 5 when Pittsburgh travels to Buffalo.



In 902 career NHL games, Simmonds has scored 251 goals and 247 assists for 498 points.

Simmonds has accumulated 1,121 PIMs.


My Take:


I like the Simmonds trade a lot. The Sabres have long lacked toughness and aggression. Simmonds is equal parts brawn and skill.
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