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What we’re hearing about Sabres’ Vinnie Hinostroza and Erik Portillo as NHL trade deadline approaches

Jan 10, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Vinnie Hinostroza (29) takes a shot on goal during the second period against the Seattle Kraken at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
By Matthew Fairburn
Jan 17, 2023
42

Save Article
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres’ roster crunch is creating a tricky situation for general manager Kevyn Adams as the trade deadline approaches.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has emerged as the team’s No. 1 goalie, so the Sabres have been carrying three goalies since Eric Comrie returned from his injury. But since Luukkonen is still exempt from waivers, while Comrie and Craig Anderson are not, Buffalo has been making paper transactions to loan Luukkonen to Rochester on days when he is not playing. When Luukkonen does play, the Sabres have sent other players who are waivers exempt down in a similar paper move. Last week that was Jack Quinn. Over the weekend it was Peyton Krebs.

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But Adams has also been working on another solution. Veteran forward Vinnie Hinostroza, who re-signed at a $1.7 million salary this offseason, has been out of the lineup for 19 of the last 21 games. He jumped back in last week while the Sabres gave Quinn and JJ Peterka a few nights off, but Hinostroza was again a healthy scratch on Monday when the Sabres lost to the Panthers. Hinostroza, 28, has eight assists in 19 games this season and has been passed on the depth chart by Buffalo’s younger forwards.

Adams has talked to every team in the NHL in an effort to find a better situation for Hinostroza. As Elliotte Friedman of “Hockey Night in Canada” initially reported, the Sabres want to put Hinostroza in a position to get back on the ice. He doesn’t have a clear path to playing time with the Sabres, so if Adams can find a deal that makes sense for the team, that could open up a roster spot. Hinostroza’s $1.7 million salary might be prohibitive to contenders who are up against the cap, but he’s shown in limited action this season that he’s a solid depth forward who can bring energy to the bottom six of a lineup. Granato has known Hinostroza dating back to his days in Chicago when he had to fight his way into the NHL lineup. In his time with the Sabres, Hinostroza has become a favorite in the locker room and he has continued to bring energy to practice and been a good teammate even when out of the lineup.

“I know competitively he’s not happy,” Granato said last week. “He’s not satisfied being out of the lineup. It’s a challenge to keep yourself ready to go. But when you look at the big picture of an NHL season, what players in that position have to do is be ready for their opportunity because the opportunity’s going to come. We just can’t tell you exactly which game, which night. But we know in an 82-game season, it’s going to come. Until that happens, it’s a tough situation I think specifically for him or a player in that situation.”

If Hinostroza were to leave, the Sabres do have options in Rochester if they need to call up another forward in case of injury. Rasmus Asplund has also been in and out of the Sabres’ lineup this season and is waiting for an opportunity for more regular minutes. Last week, the Sabres waived defenseman Casey Fitzgerald and lost him to the Florida Panthers. It makes sense to try to move an older player rather than risk losing another younger one like Fitzgerald.

The Sabres are also exploring their options with goalie prospect Erik Portillo. According to multiple sources, Portillo and his camp don’t think it’s in his best interest to sign with the Sabres when his college season at Michigan is over. The 2019 third-round pick has the option to test free agency since he is four years removed from his draft year.

Portillo’s decision isn’t a direct result of Luukkonen’s recent performance, but Luukkonen’s presence in the organization has undoubtedly been a factor in Portillo’s decision-making process. The Sabres also have Northeastern goalie Devon Levi in the pipeline and drafted Finnish goalie Topias Leinonen in the second round of the 2022 draft. There is a lot of youth for Portillo to contend with in Buffalo’s organization.

The Sabres still think highly of Portillo as a prospect and have made it clear to him that they’d love to sign him. He’s 12-7 this season with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage playing for a Wolverines team that is ranked in the top 10 in the country. But with Portillo making it clear he plans to sign elsewhere, the Sabres are exploring all of their options on the trade market.

Adams has been clear that he doesn’t want to make rash decisions at the deadline that could jeopardize the future the Sabres are trying to build. He doesn’t want to hit fast forward on the rebuild and is interested in giving young players every opportunity to grow. But this team is also on the fringe of playoff contention and could use more depth to get over the edge. So Adams has decisions to make on what type of moves, if any, would be worth it making that happen. Having Portillo as a trade chip could be useful in that he could net a decent return and the Sabres won’t be sacrificing the long-term by moving him.

(Timothy T. Ludwig / USA TODAY Sports)

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Matthew Fairburn is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Buffalo Sabres. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he previously covered the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills for The Athletic. Prior to The Athletic, he also covered the Bills for Syracuse.com. Follow Matthew on Twitter @MatthewFairburn

Why rip on the rookies, it's not like they were playing on a set line for the first 15-20gms. They have grown and wasn't that what this year was about?
- Buff36

Not for me, it never was.

I'm not ripping them. In fact I said they've each had a solid rookie season so far. I do, however, remember posting last season or this past offseason the way they hyped Quinn I was expecting a minimum of 20 and more like 25. Nobody thought that was out of line at the time. Nobody.

Every criticism ive made about Adams Ive been making for two years about Adams. And it can best be summed up by this very true statement: Matt Savoie is more important to him than the Buffalo Sabres roster. And that's why we're in year 12 and not year 1.

Is there a streakier team in the league than Buffalo?
I don't think so. Fun to watch, lots of talent and a very bright future.

Is there a streakier team in the league than Buffalo?
I don't think so. Fun to watch, lots of talent and a very bright future.
- Rang

That's funny. I literally was just thinking this team could win 10 in a row starting Thursday, and I think they'd still manage to fold up the season before playoffs.

But, yeah, I've heard that bright future crap before.

Is there a streakier team in the league than Buffalo?
I don't think so. Fun to watch, lots of talent and a very bright future.
- Rang

Sabres will go nowhere unless one of two things happen.

#1, they get an actual NHL caliber starting goalie,

#2have a SOLID top 6 Defensive Corp who can hide the mistakes of shatty goalies.

We have neither right now and the only way we win is if we are scoring 4 or more goals, we have 1 win when scoring less then 4 goals.

The problems on this team are so glaring.......

Sabres will go nowhere unless one of two things happen.

#1, they get an actual NHL caliber starting goalie,

#2have a SOLID top 6 Defensive Corp who can hide the mistakes of shatty goalies.

We have neither right now and the only way we win is if we are scoring 4 or more goals, we have 1 win when scoring less then 4 goals.

The problems on this team are so glaring.......
- hehateme

Each and every one of us knew these problems before the season started. I guess we're all hockey geniuses, or the Sabres front office is really overrated.

Sabres will go nowhere unless one of two things happen.

#1, they get an actual NHL caliber starting goalie,

#2have a SOLID top 6 Defensive Corp who can hide the mistakes of shatty goalies.

We have neither right now and the only way we win is if we are scoring 4 or more goals, we have 1 win when scoring less then 4 goals.

The problems on this team are so glaring.......
- hehateme

Funny thing is they have been for 3yrs

Funny thing is they have been for 3yrs
- Buff36

But we have this analytics department that is sooooo good. When the hell is that going to pay off?

Sabres will go nowhere unless one of two things happen.

#1, they get an actual NHL caliber starting goalie,

#2have a SOLID top 6 Defensive Corp who can hide the mistakes of shatty goalies.

We have neither right now and the only way we win is if we are scoring 4 or more goals, we have 1 win when scoring less then 4 goals.

The problems on this team are so glaring.......
- hehateme

Blackwood for olaf

What we’re hearing about Sabres’ Vinnie Hinostroza and Erik Portillo as NHL trade deadline approaches

Jan 10, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Vinnie Hinostroza (29) takes a shot on goal during the second period against the Seattle Kraken at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
By Matthew Fairburn
Jan 17, 2023
51
Save Article
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres’ roster crunch is creating a tricky situation for general manager Kevyn Adams as the trade deadline approaches.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has emerged as the team’s No. 1 goalie, so the Sabres have been carrying three goalies since Eric Comrie returned from his injury. But since Luukkonen is still exempt from waivers, while Comrie and Craig Anderson are not, Buffalo has been making paper transactions to loan Luukkonen to Rochester on days when he is not playing. When Luukkonen does play, the Sabres have sent other players who are waivers exempt down in a similar paper move. Last week that was Jack Quinn. Over the weekend it was Peyton Krebs.

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But Adams has also been working on another solution. Veteran forward Vinnie Hinostroza, who re-signed at a $1.7 million salary this offseason, has been out of the lineup for 19 of the last 21 games. He jumped back in last week while the Sabres gave Quinn and JJ Peterka a few nights off, but Hinostroza was again a healthy scratch on Monday when the Sabres lost to the Panthers. Hinostroza, 28, has eight assists in 19 games this season and has been passed on the depth chart by Buffalo’s younger forwards.

Adams has talked to every team in the NHL in an effort to find a better situation for Hinostroza. As Elliotte Friedman of “Hockey Night in Canada” initially reported, the Sabres want to put Hinostroza in a position to get back on the ice. He doesn’t have a clear path to playing time with the Sabres, so if Adams can find a deal that makes sense for the team, that could open up a roster spot. Hinostroza’s $1.7 million salary might be prohibitive to contenders who are up against the cap, but he’s shown in limited action this season that he’s a solid depth forward who can bring energy to the bottom six of a lineup. Granato has known Hinostroza dating back to his days in Chicago when he had to fight his way into the NHL lineup. In his time with the Sabres, Hinostroza has become a favorite in the locker room and he has continued to bring energy to practice and been a good teammate even when out of the lineup.

“I know competitively he’s not happy,” Granato said last week. “He’s not satisfied being out of the lineup. It’s a challenge to keep yourself ready to go. But when you look at the big picture of an NHL season, what players in that position have to do is be ready for their opportunity because the opportunity’s going to come. We just can’t tell you exactly which game, which night. But we know in an 82-game season, it’s going to come. Until that happens, it’s a tough situation I think specifically for him or a player in that situation.”

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If Hinostroza were to leave, the Sabres do have options in Rochester if they need to call up another forward in case of injury. Rasmus Asplund has also been in and out of the Sabres’ lineup this season and is waiting for an opportunity for more regular minutes. Last week, the Sabres waived defenseman Casey Fitzgerald and lost him to the Florida Panthers. It makes sense to try to move an older player rather than risk losing another younger one like Fitzgerald.

The Sabres are also exploring their options with goalie prospect Erik Portillo. According to multiple sources, Portillo and his camp don’t think it’s in his best interest to sign with the Sabres when his college season at Michigan is over. The 2019 third-round pick has the option to test free agency since he is four years removed from his draft year.

Portillo’s decision isn’t a direct result of Luukkonen’s recent performance, but Luukkonen’s presence in the organization has undoubtedly been a factor in Portillo’s decision-making process. The Sabres also have Northeastern goalie Devon Levi in the pipeline and drafted Finnish goalie Topias Leinonen in the second round of the 2022 draft. There is a lot of youth for Portillo to contend with in Buffalo’s organization.

The Sabres still think highly of Portillo as a prospect and have made it clear to him that they’d love to sign him. He’s 12-7 this season with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage playing for a Wolverines team that is ranked in the top 10 in the country. But with Portillo making it clear he plans to sign elsewhere, the Sabres are exploring all of their options on the trade market.

Adams has been clear that he doesn’t want to make rash decisions at the deadline that could jeopardize the future the Sabres are trying to build. He doesn’t want to hit fast forward on the rebuild and is interested in giving young players every opportunity to grow. But this team is also on the fringe of playoff contention and could use more depth to get over the edge. So Adams has decisions to make on what type of moves, if any, would be worth it making that happen. Having Portillo as a trade chip could be useful in that he could net a decent return and the Sabres won’t be sacrificing the long-term by moving him.

But we have this analytics department that is sooooo good. When the hell is that going to pay off?
- lacaprup

2032

Sabres will go nowhere unless one of two things happen.

#1, they get an actual NHL caliber starting goalie,

#2have a SOLID top 6 Defensive Corp who can hide the mistakes of shatty goalies.

We have neither right now and the only way we win is if we are scoring 4 or more goals, we have 1 win when scoring less then 4 goals.

The problems on this team are so glaring.......
- hehateme

Agreed, you have the forwards and no problem scoring and some big names on defense that are still learning the game.
Maybe trading some forward assets for a goalie makes sense. Risky because goalies are voodoo at best.
Want Matt Murray for a first

That's funny. I literally was just thinking this team could win 10 in a row starting Thursday, and I think they'd still manage to fold up the season before playoffs.

But, yeah, I've heard that bright future crap before.
- lacaprup

For all the people who female dog about the bottom pair constantly, we've been absolutely sunk by Power, Dahlin, Sammy and Joker over the last 6 games.

What the actual (frank) were Dahlin and Sammy doing on the game tying goal? They're both just standing there with their Richards in their hands as a Hawk slips in behind them and stands in front of Anderson forever. I thought Sammy was the amazing defensive defenseman. I've heard so much garbage about an 8 game streak without him. We didn't score in that 8 game streak; he doesn't generate offense; don't ever bring it up again. Inexcusable.

Our 4 NHL defensemen have looked like trash in 2023. Dahlin is sinking his Norris campaign this month.

Hard to not say same old Sabres. They made it all the way until January before the season fell apart. Lol

And, BTW, both Quinn and Peterka are on pace for 14 goals and about 40 points. I don't know about all you, but I damn sure expected 20 from Quinn the way he was hyped. The rumors of them being amazing rookies are also overstated. Solid rookie campaign from each and nothing more.

Adams looks like the amateur he is this month. Thank god we have Matt Savoie and three second round picks. We're going to be special in 2025.

What's the more embarrassing goaltending situation: this season or last season?

Amatuer hour in year three of the Grand Plan continues. Thank god we have professionals like Ventura and Karamanos providing that elegant touch that has us afraid to waive either of two useless hockey players: Asplund or Hinostroza. WHO THE (frank) CARES IF EITHER IS CLAIMED? WHO THE (frank) CARES FITZ WAS CLAIMED?

Adams is so bad at his job.


Sounds like a guy who thinks the Sabres are gonna win 10 straight.

Talk about covering both sides of an Argument.

Paragraphs of negative dribble.
Next page, they could win 10 straight

😀😀😀😀

Each and every one of us knew these problems before the season started. I guess we're all hockey geniuses, or the Sabres front office is really overrated.
- lacaprup

what we didn't know is we were going to be one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL. That changes things for me. GMKA should be pulling out all the stops to improve the D first then the Goalie as that is a tricky trade to make.

But we have this analytics department that is sooooo good. When the hell is that going to pay off?
- lacaprup

When they stop spending below the cap floor and listen to them.

But we have this analytics department that is sooooo good. When the hell is that going to pay off?
- lacaprup

Right, bench olofsson and put asplund into the lineup?

One poster played that game at the beginning of the season.

Bla bla bla

"Donnie's playing the wrong guy" smugly and wrong

Foolish just following numbers. Numbers make a guy on a 35 goal pace look worse then a tiny ahl tweener.

Right, bench olofsson and put asplund into the lineup?

One poster played that game at the beginning of the season.

Bla bla bla

"Donnie's playing the wrong guy" smugly and wrong

Foolish just following numbers. Numbers make a guy on a 35 goal pace look worse then a tiny ahl tweener.
- Boss34

Don't think a single poster said play Asplund over Olofsson.

I've seen Asplund over Girgs. Or Asplund with Olofsson.

That ahl tweener has a better PPG than girgs playing less minutes. More pts in their last 7 games playing less minutes and a better +/-.

Girgs last 2 games has missed wide open nets for goals. Doesn't use his 6'2 200 pound frame to do anything except put cracks in the ice when he falls. A bag of hammers would be more useful. At least that bag of hammers might trip the other team instead of tripping themselves.

Talk about covering both sides of an Argument.

Paragraphs of negative dribble.
Next page, they could win 10 straight

😀😀😀😀
- Boss34

You misread eveything i wrote. My point was if they were gifted a 10 game win streak right now THEY WOULD STILL MISS THE PLAYOFFS. I do not, under any circumstance, think they're going on a ten game win streak, and I don’t think it would matter if they did.

Right, bench olofsson and put asplund into the lineup?

One poster played that game at the beginning of the season.

Bla bla bla

"Donnie's playing the wrong guy" smugly and wrong

Foolish just following numbers. Numbers make a guy on a 35 goal pace look worse then a tiny ahl tweener.
- Boss34

I'm not interested in this fight with you Boss. Never meant for you to take this so personally. These are just hockey opinions, not things I wanted to be twisted and rehashed months later.

When they stop spending below the cap floor and listen to them.
- Lunaion

So, they're not listening to the analytics department? This is news to me. What are they employed for?

Don't think a single poster said play Asplund over Olofsson.

I've seen Asplund over Girgs. Or Asplund with Olofsson.

That ahl tweener has a better PPG than girgs playing less minutes. More pts in their last 7 games playing less minutes and a better +/-.

Girgs last 2 games has missed wide open nets for goals. Doesn't use his 6'2 200 pound frame to do anything except put cracks in the ice when he falls. A bag of hammers would be more useful. At least that bag of hammers might trip the other team instead of tripping themselves.
- DirtyDan

Go away

I'm not interested in this fight with you Boss. Never meant for you to take this so personally. These are just hockey opinions, not things I wanted to be twisted and rehashed months later.
- Lunaion

Fair enough 🤝

So, they're not listening to the analytics department? This is news to me. What are they employed for?
- lacaprup

To provide input, they aren't making the final decision on anything.

Let me turn it on you, do you think Donnie is an analytics-driven coach?

To provide input, they aren't making the final decision on anything.

Let me turn it on you, do you think Donnie is an analytics-driven coach?
- Lunaion

Donnie = vibes guy

Probably too old school for analytics IMO

To provide input, they aren't making the final decision on anything.

Let me turn it on you, do you think Donnie is an analytics-driven coach?
- Lunaion

I have listened to almost every single pre and poscheme interview he has ever done.
The only time I have ever heard him even mention analytics is one time he was directly asked by Jeremy White on the WGR morning show if he is aware of Asplund's excellent defensive metrics (maybe after the 1st night he was healthy scratched). He said he was aware of them, and moved on. Since then, he's continued to bench Asplund.

However, expected awesome is a stat fans use. I have yet to hear an NHL coach ever mention it. They talk about things like successful zone entries over a rolling time scale for their upcoming opponents.

I don't think it's possible to "coach" from an analytics standpoint during a game. Analytics is per force a front office question. I am not privy to Sabre practices, where, perhaps, analytics could have some bearing...though in ways we would not be aware of I would guess. I think your question is unanswerable. Analytics departments exist behind walls we're not allowed to look over. Just like any good con artist.