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Kahun-Draisaitl Reunion

November 1, 2020, 12:06 PM ET [5 Comments]
Mark Pino
Buffalo Sabres Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Updated:

The Buffalo Sabres have moved on from Dominik Kahun.


Kevyn Adams opted to not qualify Kahun. Thus, Kahun became a free agent.

The Sabres signed their restricted free agent forwards Samson Reinhart, Victor Olofsson and Zemgus Girgensons. In October, the Sabres aggressively signed number one unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall, and added UFA forwards Toby Rieder and Cody Eakin. Buffalo also traded for Eric Staal.

At the end of the day, all of the roster cultivation at the forward position sealed Kahun's fate in Buffalo.


The German forward has signed a one year contract with the Edmonton Oilers.


Kahun will earn $975,000 and will be reunited with his good friend Leon Draisaitl.










The 25-year-old played last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. Kahun scored four points in the six games he played with the Sabres and 27 points in 50 games.

Kahun began his NHL career in Chicago in 2018-19 where he potted 13 goals and 20 assists in 82 games played.

Before he pursued his NHL dreams in North America, Kahun skated for four years four years with Munich of Germany's DEL. Kahun played on three DEL championship teams during his run in the DEL. Kahun earned a silver medal with the German national team at the 2018 Olympic Games.


Why would Edmonton take a chance on Kahun?

It's a matter of chemistry. Kahun played two seasons with Oilers all star Leon Draisaitl the Adler Mannheim's youth hockey incubator program. The Kahun-Draisaitl tandem created 398 combined points in just 30 games. Kahun outscored Darisaitl 206 points to 192 points. That is grotesque offensive production!





I like the Kahun signing for Edmonton. The kid has a complete, two-way NHL game and when used properly as a top six forward can produce 20 goals and 50 points per season. If Kahun can catch fire in Edmonton, this signing may end up being graded as the best UFA signing of the 2020 silly season.





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Krefeld Pinguine leihen Jonas Johansson aus Der 1995 in Schweden geborene Torwart Jonas Johansson verstärkt den Kader der Krefeld Pinguine während des MagentaSport Cups. Johansson ist aktuell bei den Rochester Americans in der AHL unter Vertrag. In seiner Laufbahn konnte er in verschiedenen Ligen Erfahrungen sammeln. So spielte er bereits mit 18 Jahren in der ersten schwedischen Liga SHL und im schwedischen U20-Nationalteam. 2014 von den Buffalo Sabres in die NHL gedrafted, spielte er zu Beginn erst bei dessen Farmteam und konnte später in einigen NHL-Spielen für die Sabres auf sich aufmerksam machen. Da die Saisons der nordamerikanischen Profiligen erst zu Beginn des Jahres 2021 starten, möchte Jonas in Krefeld Erfahrung und Spielpraxis sammeln. „Ich freue mich mit den Krefeld Pinguinen aufs Eis zu gehen und bin davon überzeugt, dass wir mit der neuen Vereinsausrichtung und dem starken Kader beim anstehenden Cup einige positiv überraschen werden“, so Johansson. Eure Krefeld Pinguine #familieheimatnähe #dasistkrefeld #johansson

A post shared by Krefeld Pinguine (@krefeld_pinguine) on




The Buffalo Sabres have been searching for a new goaltender for the past five months.


On Sunday, the Sabres loaned a goalie prospect to a European club team.

The Krefeld Pinguine of of the German Elite League (DEL) have announced that they have asked for and been granted permission to add Jonas Johansson to their roster.

Johansson has accepted the challenge and will be playing meaningful games in Germany as a means of adding value to his development.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams and head coach Ralph Krueger have praised the play of goalie Linus Ullmark whom Buffalo signed to a new one year contract earlier this week. Veteran Carter Hutton is the question mark right now on the Sabres' goalie depth chart. Hutton struggled mightily last season. When Sabres training camp officially opens up in January, Johansson will be given the opportunity to battle Hutton for the second goalie role. Adams is still actively searching for a veteran NHL goalie that he can trade a right shot defenseman for. Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo and Arizona Coyotes yendy Antii Raanta are two of the targets for Adams.

Johansson, 25, is a big, athletic goalie. At 6’5″ and 210 lbs., Johansson is long, athletic, and active in his crease. The large Swede protects his net impressively.

Last season at the Rochester Amerks, Johansson posted an impressive .921 SV% and 2.28 GAA.

So, how can Johansson get crease time in Krefeld when the German Elite League is on hiatus due to teh COVID19 pandemic? The German Elite League will officially drop the puck on the 2020-21 season in mid-December, however, the league will play a preseason tournament in mid-November for eight of its teams ahead the return to play.

As is customary, NHL scouts will be keeping their eyes on preseason tournaments and regular season matches in European leagues. It is highly likely that Adams and the Sabres won’t say no to a trade for Johansson at some point down the road. The Sabres are a season away from having super goalie prospect Ukko Pekka Luukkonen in their net as the starter.



UPL will play in Rochester this season and will likely get called up to Buffalo if an injury befalls that goalie group. Luukkonen is skating with TPS of the Finnish Liiga. Once the NHL season begins, UPL will return to North America to join the Rochester Amerks when the American League 2021 regular season begins in February.


Johansson will get playing time in Krefeld practices and in tournament games.

In 2019-2020, Johansson played in the AHL All-Star Game.


Johansson earned a WJC Silver Medal for Team Sweden in 2013-14.


The Sabres selected Johansson in the third round at the 2014 NHL Draft.








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