The Buffalo Sabres lost out on a potential fit when the Vancouver Canucks traded rugged winger Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks on Monday. But as we covered in this story, the Canucks still have other players Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen should be interested in. And the biggest takeaway is that the price the Sharks paid to land Sherwood is a price the Sabres should be more than willing to part ways with to add NHL-ready talent right now.

The price San Jose GM Mike Grier paid for Sherwood was steep: two second-round draft picks, and prospect defenseman Cole Clayton. But the reason why Grier was comfortable surrendering three assets for a player who will be a UFA this summer is because the Sharks are moving from a long-term rebuild into a team ready to challenge for a Stanley Cup playoff spot. And you can say the same thing about where Kekalainen is with the Sabres.

Indeed, you can make the case that for many years now, the Sabres have been where San Jose is right now. But that’s a column for another day. The point of this column is that, if Grier was justified paying a big price to land a player of note, then Kekalainen should be ready, willing and able to do the same thing to improve the Sabres.

As it stands, Buffalo currently has two of its three second-round draft picks in the next three drafts – its second-rounder in 2027, and its second-rounder in 2028. The Sabres also have a prospect pool deep enough where they can deal one or two young players and still have a solid group of youngsters to build around.

Obviously, the trick is to figure out what youngsters to hold on to at all costs, but you have to give something to get something, and that’s why a decent prospect should be expendable for Kekalainen.

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Standing pat can’t be an option for the Sabres. There’s enough talent on the trade block for Kekalainen to at least come away with one experienced hand – and, like Sherwood, someone who could be kept beyond this season, should the stars align and make the player a fine fit for the long haul.

At some point, you have to be more willing to package prospects and draft picks in return for younger players with upside. And that’s where Buffalo is right now.

If San Jose can afford to sacrifice some of their promise in return for players who can make a positive impact right away, surely the Sabres can do the same. And if he doesn’t do that, Kekalainen is going to be rightfully criticized. 

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For a long time, the Sabres were the team who dealt away players like Sherwood in exchange for picks and prospects. But the tables have turned 180 degrees, and it’s now in Buffalo’s best interests to step to the plate and take a massive swing on the trade market.