As the off-season unfolds for the Buffalo Sabres, there are many opportunities for them to improve their roster. And as rumors swirled Wednesday about a major trade that will send star left winger Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers to the Anaheim Ducks for a prospect and a draft pick, it's fair to say this was a missed opportunity for the Sabres.
Given that Buffalo should want to acquire more veteran experience to lead them into the playoffs, Kreider would've been a terrific pickup for the Sabres. But it looks like Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams couldn't or wouldn't beat Anaheim's price for Kreider, and the Ducks are going to be better for it.
It's true Kreider is coming off a down season. And his $6.5-million salary, which runs for the next two seasons, may look like an overpayment for the 34-year-old. But in the two previous seasons, Kreider posted a combined total of 75 goals and 129 points. That's someone worth taking a gamble on, especially considering Kreider is a playoff beast, generating 48 goals and 76 points in 123 career playoff games.
Now, Kreider has a no-trade clause in his current contract, allowing him to veto a trade to 15 teams. Maybe Buffalo is one of those teams. But players can change their minds if GMs are allowed to talk to them prior to a trade. That could be what's happening at the moment with Kreider and the Ducks.
But in this writer's opinion, the Sabres are closer to competing for a playoff berth than Anaheim is. That's what should be frustrating for Buffalo fans right now. Every move like a Kreider trade is showing, one way or another, that the Sabres aren't aggressive enough to be a mover-and-shaker on the trade front.
Kreider may be a flop next season in Anaheim. But Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has quietly added a lot of veteran experience -- winger Alex Killorn, defenseman Jacob Trouba, and now, Kreider. That's an indication that teams value experience and knowhow. And at the moment, the Sabres don't have enough of it.
Trading Star Winger Tuch Should Definitely Be An Option For SabresThe Buffalo Sabres definitely have some untouchables on their team -- namely, star winger Tage Thompson, and defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. And there are other players it should take a mammoth deal to acquire -- namely, winger J.J. Peterka, center Josh Norris and blueliner Bowen Byram.
It would've been a coup for Adams to acquire Kreider, but that ship has apparently sailed. And now, the Sabres have to turn their attention to other veterans who are on the trade block. There are definitely teams out there willing to surrender some experienced players for young players and draft picks, and Buffalo has a lot of those assets. But once again, they're on the outside looking in, and Sabres fans are well within their rights to wonder if and when Buffalo will step up and make a move of consequence.
Kreider has been through the wringer in Manhattan, and still managed to thrive despite all the pressure he faced as one of the cornerstone members of the Blueshirts. You want someone like that in Buffalo. You want him to buy into your vision for the franchise, and you want him to be a great example for your young, developing players.
This is why Kreider would've been a great fit with the Sabres. But the bottom line is that Buffalo didn't outbid Anaheim, and the Ducks apparently wound up picking up a vital component as they make their own push to be a playoff team. Kreider may not have worked out in Buffalo, but taking a chance on him would've been a justifiable gamble. And it didn't happen.
If Sabres Part Ways With Blueliner Byram, These Three Veteran Defenseman Should Be Options To Replace HimThe Buffalo Sabres could be approaching a crossroads when it comes to the future of star defenseman Bowen Byram. We've argued on THN.com that the Sabres should hang onto Byram, but for argument's sake, let's say Buffalo and Byram part ways. If that happens, there are numerous veterans the Sabres could bring in to shore up their defense corps.
Right now, the Sabres are not proactive with trades. And that's on Adams and his new management team. Buffalo absolutely has to be ready, willing and able to acquire assets that will improve their chances of getting into the post-season. And for one reason or another, they're unable to do so.
It's no wonder some Sabres fans want to throw their hands in the air out of despair. They see other teams taking big swings, while Buffalo stays stapled to the bench, unable to even get to the plate. Landing Kreider would've infused the Sabres fan base with a jolt of optimism, but instead, they only got more silence from Adams & Co..
Time will tell if the Sabres can land a difference-maker this summer, but at the moment, cynics have more moves -- or lack of moves -- to point to and justify their exhaustion with this organization. When nothing solid materializes for a franchise that desperately needs help, the reaction of the paying customers will not be positive. And if Kreider thrives with the Ducks next year, Sabres fans will wring their hands in agony wondering "what if" Buffalo had stepped up and acquired him.