3 Mock Deadline Deals for the Sabres
Here we are on NHL trade deadline day (March 8), and we’ve seen a flurry of activity around the league already. On Wednesday (March 6), the Buffalo Sabres were right in the middle of it, with a one-for-one hockey trade that sent Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche for Bowen Byram. You don’t see this kind of deal very often, but the Sabres were able to get it done, and still be left with business to take care of before 3 PM EST on Friday. Here are three mock trades for Buffalo.
Sabres Send Team Captain to Manhattan
Sabres Trade Kyle Okposo (Retaining 50 Percent of Salary) to the New York Rangers for Anton Blidh and a Fourth-Round Pick in 2024
Elliotte Friedman has connected Okposo to the Rangers, which makes a ton of sense because the 35-year-old has already suited up for two New York state teams (Sabres and New York Islanders), so why not a third? Okposo is a reliable, bottom-six forward currently on pace for 17 goals this season, and with the Sabres retaining half of his $2.5 million cap hit (via CapFriendly), he’d be a great add for the Rangers. Even though Okposo doesn’t have a no-
move clause (NMC), the organization thinks highly of their captain, and he would have a say in where he goes. If his only desire is to play for the Rangers, the return would be limited, and similar to what the Ottawa Senators got back in the Vladimir Tarasenko deal, since he had trade protection and only wanted to go to the Florida Panthers. The difference is, the Sabres get a player here in Anton Blidh, instead of an additional pick due to the Rangers’ short supply of them.
Sabres Get Something for a Struggling Winger
The Sabres Trade Victor Olofsson to the Nashville Predators for the Dallas Stars’ Sixth-Round Pick in 2024
The Predators arguably are the hottest team in the NHL and are currently tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Friedman has brought up Nashville as a potential suitor for Olofsson, who could add some scoring on the wing. Speaking of goals, the left winger fired one past Toronto Maple Leafs’ netminder, Ilya Samsonov on Wednesday night. That’s a great thing for someone who’s been a healthy scratch for most of the season, and good timing for Olofsson with how close we are to the deadline.
Even though his cap hit is a little rich at $4.75 million, he’s a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), and the Predators have a boatload of space to play with at the deadline. This would be a win for the Sabres by getting something for a player they’ve had available for a while now, and also a win for the Predators, who would only have to give up a late-round pick for a guy who potted 28 goals last season. This would be similar to the deal they made on Thursday afternoon (March 7) with the Chicago Blackhawks for Anthony Beauvillier.
