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The Buffalo Sabres could be looking to add a specific type of defensemen, according to an insider’s suggestions.
The Buffalo Sabres are entering somewhat uncharted territory at this year’s trade deadline. For a long while, the Sabres haven’t been buyers at the deadline. Yet, this season stands to be the beginning of a new trend.
That said, a notable Sabres insider proposed one rugged blueliner the Sabres could target.
In a February 11 piece in The Athletic, Fairburn proposed that Buffalo look into acquiring Zach Whitecloud from the Calgary Flames. Whitecould was part of the return the Flames got in the Rasmus Andersson deal.
Since landing in Calgary, the speculation has been that the Flames could deal Whitecould. While there’s no indication that will be the case, Fairburn believes the Sabres could use a guy like him.
Fairburn is right. The Sabres don’t have a wealth of physicality in their lineup at the moment. That’s why targeting a gritty, pugnacious player makes sense. The playoffs demand an extra layer of toughness that the regular season doesn’t.
There’s also another angle to consider. The Sabres are woefully deficient in playoff experience. The 28-year-old is the sort of player who could help alleviate that need. He’s played in 78 playoff games. He won the 2023 Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights, giving him an extra bump in postseason experience.
That’s why it makes sense that the Sabres target a player like Whitecloud. But there could be much more to him than just toughness and playoff experience.
Sabres Could Get Help at Relatively Low Price
Whitecloud has two more years left on his current deal at $2.75 million. That’s a palatable cap hit, considering the Sabres potential cap crunch.
That cap crunch could be the result of extending Alex Tuch to a massive deal. If that’s the case, Buffalo will need to be mindful of its additions.
The most important thing here is cost-certainty. Pro teams need to have clarity on how much their payrolls will cost in order to determine what moves they can make. In a league like the NHL with a hard cap, cost certainty is crucial. That’s why a depth player like Whitecould could be what the Sabres need.
Whitecloud Might Not Come Cheap
All of the aforementioned reasons make Whitecloud a bit of an expensive target. Thus far, there isn’t much indication of what the asking price could be for the veteran blueliner. Perhaps the price tag could start with a first-round pick.
Now, it’s doubtful the Sabres would want to overly commit resources on a seemingly depth player. But then again, the club owes it to its fans to push for additions this season. It has been such a long time for Buffalo fans since the team added, not subtracted, at the trade deadline.
That’s why GM Jarmo Kekalainen will likely scour the league to find depth pieces to support his current core. Kekalainen will also look to move futures, preferably draft picks, in lieu of current roster players or high-end prospects.
The Sabres have a pick in every round in this year’s draft except for the second. They also have two fourth and sixth-rounders. That gives Buffalo plenty of ammo to target Whitecloud at this year’s NHL trade deadline.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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