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THW's Sabres News for 03/22/2021

March 22, 2021

The latest Sabres stories from The Hockey Writers.

 

 03/22/2021 edition:

By Greg Boysen on Mar 22, 2021 08:35 am

March 22 has seen quite a bit of National Hockey League history over the years. One of the league’s oldest franchises did plenty on this date. In addition, we witness one of the scariest plays in NHL history as well as some record-setting performances. Let’s take our daily trip back in time to relive all the best this date has had to offer.

Bruins Own the Day

The Bruins have had a long and storied history as one of the NHL’s “Original Six” teams. Some of the biggest names to ever wear the B’s sweater made their mark on the game on this date.

Goaltenders playing an entire season was a very common practice during the first few decades of the league. While the backup goaltender position has become an important one in today’s game, it was pretty much obsolete for many years.

On March 22, 1964, Bruins goaltender Eddie Johnston became the last goaltender in NHL history to ever play every minute of every game in a season. He started his 70th straight game in the season’s final contest against the Chicago Blackhawks and lost 4-3. He finished the season with an 18-40-12 record with a 3.01 goals-against average (GAA) for the last-place Bruins.

Six years later, Hall of Fame defenseman Bobby Orr had two goals and a pair of assists in a 5-0 victory over the Minnesota North Stars. The two goals made him the first blueliner in NHL history to score 30 goals in a single season. His two helpers gave him 78, which broke the single-season league record set by his teammate Phil Esposito the previous season. Johnny Buyck also made history on this evening by becoming the first player to score 300 goals as a member of the Bruins.

Orr wasn’t done on March 22. In 1975, he scored three goals in an 8-2 win over the Washington Capitals. It was the ninth and final hat trick Orr’s career, the most by any defenseman in league history.

A Record-Setting Kind of Day

Gordie Howe finished his season with 49 goals and 46 assists for an NHL record 95 points on March 22, 1953, as Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens tied 1-1. His new scoring record made him the first player to win the Ross Trophy three times and in three straight seasons.

Six years later, Canadiens forward Dickie Moore had a goal and an assist to break Howe’s record with 96 points. Jean Beliveau scored twice for a league-leading 45 goals in the 4-2 road win at the New York Rangers. He also had an assist to finish the season with 91 points, breaking his own single-season scoring record for centers.

Marcel Dionne scored two goals and added two assists on March 22, 1972, to reach 75 points, a new NHL rookie-record rookie, as the Red Wings won 6-3 at the Los Angeles Kings. He broke the old mark of 72 points, set by Gilbert Perreault of the Buffalo Sabres the previous season.

Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins made history on March 22, 1989, in a 5-4 loss to the Capitals. Lemieux became the third player in league history to score 30 power-play goals in a season. This helped the Penguins set the single-season record for power-play goals with 112, breaking the old mark set by the 1987-88 New York Rangers.

Luc Robitaille becomes the NHL’s all-time leader for points by a left wing on March 22, 2004, when he has an assist in the Kings’ 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The assist was the 1,370th point of his career, moving him past Bucyk.

On March 22, 2018, the Vegas Golden Knights became the first team in NHL history to have 100 points in its expansion season in a 2-1 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.

Goaltenders Take Center Stage

Jacques Plante became the second goaltender in NHL history to win 40 games three times in his career on March 22, 1962, in the Canadiens’ 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Terry Sawchuk was the first netminder to have three 40-win seasons.

Jim Rutherford became the first NHL goaltender to play for three teams in one season, on March 22, 1981, when he led the Kings to a 7-5 win at the Winnipeg Jets. He started the season with the Red Wings before being traded to the Maple Leafs and then Los Angeles.

Patrick Roy had one of the greatest careers of any NHL goaltender and he accomplished a pair of remarkable feats on this date. On March 22, 1989, he shutout the Quebec Nordiques in an 8-0 Canadiens’ victory to extend his unbeaten streak on home ice to 26 games. He went 24-0-2 during the streak and broke Bill Durnan’s team-record 25-game run (22-0-3) set during the 1943-44 season. Exactly 14 years later, he was in net for the Colorado Avalanche’s 8-1 victory over the visiting Blackhawks. He became the first goaltender in NHL history to put together 13 seasons with at least 30 wins.

Henrik Lundqvist passed Ed Giacomin for the most shutouts in Rangers’ history on March 22 ,2014, with a 2-0 blanking of the New Jersey Devils. With his parents in attendance, he made 21 saves for the 50th shutout of his career.

Malarchuk Survives Scariest Play in NHL History

Sabres’ goaltender Malarchuk, became infamous on March 22, 1989, during a game against the St. Louis Blues. Steve Tuttle of the Blues and Uwe Krupp of the Sabres both drove hard to the net. The heavy contact caused Tuttle’s skate to hit Malarchuk in the neck partially slicing his jugular.

The spirited game quickly turned into a scene from a grotesque horror movie as blood began to gush onto the ice. The sight caused players on the rink and fans in the stands to become physically ill. Somehow, Malarchuk was able to skate off under his own power.

His life was saved by the quick action of Buffalo’s trainer, Jim Pizzutelli, who served as a combat medic for the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He lost 1.5 liters of blood and needed 300 stitches to close the wound. He returned to the ice just 10 days later.

Caloun Makes Rookie History

The name of Jan Caloun may not ring a bell for many readers, but on March 22, 1996, he made quite the mark on the game. Playing in just his third NHL game, he scored the game-tying goal in the San Jose Sharks’ 2-1 overtime win versus the Calgary Flames.

The goal was the fourth of his young career on just his fourth shot. He would finally be stopped in overtime to start his tenure with four goals on five shots for a .800 shooting percentage. After being held off the scoreboard in his next game, he scored in back-to-back games to bring his total to six goals in as many games. He finished up the season with eight goals and 11 points on 11 games.

The quick start to his career did not translate to long-term success. Caloun would only appear in 13 more NHL games, two with the Sharks and 11 with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and scored zero goals with just three assists. He did have 43 goals and 86 points in 66 games for the Kentucky Thoroughblades of the American Hockey League during the 1996-97 season before heading back home to his native Czech Republic.

Odds & Ends

Newsy Lalonde became the first NHL player to score four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game on March 22, 1921, in the Canadiens 4-2 win over the Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey League.

Bob Pulford scored the game-winning goal on March 22, 1970, to lead the Maple Leafs to a 5-2 win at the Rangers. This made him the third player in franchise history to score 250 career goals.

Bryan Trottier tied Doug Smail’s NHL record for fastest goal from the start of a game on March 22, 1984, by scoring just five seconds after the opening faceoff. The quick start did not result in a win as the New York Islanders and Bruins skated to a 3-3 tie.

Mark Messier scored four goals to become the fourth player in Rangers’ history to score 100 points in a season on March 22, 1992, in a 6-3 win over the Devils. This was the 16th hat trick and sixth 100-point season of his career.

Eric Lindros scored his 40th goal of the season to pick up his 600th career point on March 22, 1999, as the Flyers beat the Maple Leafs 3-1.

Pat Verbeek became the 28th player to score 500 career goals on March 22, 2000, in the Red Wings’ 2-2 tie with the Flames. He was the first member of the 500-goal club who also amassed 2,000 career penalty minutes.

On the same night, Al MacInnis became the fifth defenseman in league history to score 1,100 career points. He scored the game-winning goal in the Blues’ 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. This gave them 47 wins on the season, tying the franchise record.

Pierre Turgeon played in his 1,000th NHL game on March 22, 2001, a 3-1 Blues loss to the visiting Avalanche.

Happy Birthday to You

Hall of Famer and Maple Leafs legend Dave Keon is celebrating his 81th birthday today. He is one of 26 current and former NHL players born on this date including John Marks (73), Pelle Eklund (58), Todd Ewen (55), Tom Poti (44), Mike Smith (39) and Nic Petan (26).

Buffalo Sabres’ Decade of DisappointmentBy Jordan Jacklin on Mar 21, 2021 02:59 pmIt is the same story, but a different year when it comes to describing the Buffalo Sabres. The team has not qualified for the playoffs since the 2010-11 season, and they are poised to miss again. When this streak started, Jason Pominville was still months away from being named the 13th captain in franchise history. Ville Leino had yet to sign with the team after a 53-point season with the Philadelphia Flyers. This decade that has been full of disappointment and misery is the opposite of what happened in the preview 10-year span, which saw the Sabres make the Eastern Conference Final twice.I will review what has gone wrong these past 10 years, the storylines that emerged as the seasons progressed, and how the team failed to get better over this span. 2011-12: Just Missing the PlayoffsThis season can be known as the year the Sabres nearly made the postseason but just fell short. Pominville had scored 30 goals and 73 points in his first season wearing the captaincy, and third-year Tyler Ennis started to break through as a scoring threat for this team. Ryan Miller and Jonas Enroth each had a .916 and .917 save percentage, respectively, and gave this team a chance to win in every game. Christian Ehrhoff as the best defenseman and Derek Roy as the first-line center factored into its disappointing season.Jason Pominville (Andy Martin Jr.)When looking at the trades made throughout this season, the biggest two were acquiring Cody Hodgson from the Vancouver Canucks for Zack Kassian and trading Paul Gaudstad for a first-round pick from the Nashville Predators. It was clear that the team was trying to get younger and stock up on draft capital and that making the playoffs would not be a guarantee. Overall, the team finished with a record of 39-32-11, and they just fell short of qualifying for the postseason. The Sabres had two first-round selections in the 2012 NHL Draft. With the 12th-overall selection, they picked Mikhail Grigorenko, who currently plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets. At 14th overall, they selected Zemgus Girgensons, who is still on the team. Both were selected too high for the caliber of player that they are today. Linus Ullmark was a steal at 163rd overall. 2012-13: This Team Needs DirectionIn the offseason, the Sabres traded away Roy to the Dallas Stars and acquired Steve Ott and Adam Parody. (from ‘Sabres trade Derek Roy to Stars for Steve Ott, Adam Pardy,’ National Post – 07/02/2012) That trade didn’t exactly work that well for both teams, as you will find out below. This was the shortened season, which saw the team play 48 games. It was clear that the team was heading towards a rebuild, but they weren’t bad enough to be the league’s worst team.Steve Ott (Andy Martin Jr.)Over the course of the year, the Sabres acquired seven draft picks to see the team part ways with numerous players. The most notable was Pominville, as he was traded to Minnesota along with a 2014 fourth-round pick, and the Wild gave Matt Hacket, Johan Larsson, a 2013 first-round pick, and a 2014 second-round pick. In hindsight, that was a solid trade for the Sabres, as Pominville would decline over the next several seasons.Related: Buffalo Sabres Report Card Through First Half of SeasonThe team finished the season with a record of 21-21-6 and clearly missed the playoffs this time. They had the ninth-overall selection in the 2013 NHL Draft and used it to select Rasmus Ristolainen. Although he is a controversial player among the fanbase, there aren’t many players that I would have taken over him, besides Josh Morrissey and Bo Horvat. 2013-14: The First Tank SeasonThe tank had officially started, and all eyes were on the prospects available for the coming draft. Aaron Ekblad was the favorite, but players such as Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, and Leon Draisaitl would possibly overthrow him. Cody Hodgson, who hasn’t played in the NHL since 2016, led this team in scoring with 20 goals and 44 points. Their goaltending was the only reason why they didn’t lose in every single matchup. Thomas Vanek (Icon SMI)To have the best possible chance at acquiring any of those players, the team had to part ways with several key members on the roster. Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek, and Jaroslav Halak were all moved at the trade deadline, and this team went from bad to awful. The team finished with a record of 21-51-10 after 82 games.The team ended up with the second-overall selection in the 2014 NHL Draft and used it to Sam Reinhart. He has become a great two-way, second-line winger, and although Draisaitl would have been the better pick in hindsight, Reinhart is no slouch himself. Victor Olofsson went in the seventh round and has provided amazing value for what was expected of him, as he’s become a threat to score 30 goals consistently for years to come.2014-15: We Must Get McDavid at All CostsIf there was ever a season to tank, it was this one. Everybody in the hockey world knew who the first-overall pick would be, and that was Connor McDavid. The team was clearly awful, as they had been trading roster players for draft capital over the last couple of seasons. It was quite clear what they were doing. As well, this was the season where Michal Neuvirth started 27 games, played well in his starts, and had to be traded to avoid sabotaging the tank. Evander Kane former Buffalo Sabre (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)The Sabres acquired Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, and Jason Kardorf from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Brendan Lemieux, Joel Armia, Drew Stafford, Tyler Myers, and a 2015 first-round pick (via St. Louis). This was a blockbuster trade at the time, as Lemieux was seen as one of the team’s best prospects, and Myers was a part of their top two defensive pairings. Ultimately, Kane would be a scoring threat during his time here, and it was a good deal that benefitted both teams. The team finished with a record of 23-51-8.Related: Sabres GM Kevyn Adams Predicts More Change After Krueger FiringThen, the draft lottery came. This was the day that Sabres fans were looking forward to the most. The NHL’s Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly spins the white balls, and the first-overall selection ended up going to the Oilers. The team luckily had Jack Eichel as a consolation prize and found their first-line center, but the feeling of disappointment was quite evident in Tim Murray’s face.2015-16: There Is Hope in BuffaloFinally, there was some excitement surrounding this organization. It has been four years since the team last made the postseason, and their chances grew when they inserted Eichel into the lineup. As Kane scored 20 goals, the team was showing positive signs of growth, and Reinhart continued to grow with a 42-point season. As well, the team had acquired a player in the offseason that would be a game-changer.Ryan O’Reilly, former Sabre (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)The Sabres acquired Ryan O’Reilly in that offseason, along with Jamie McGinn from the Colorado Avalanche. In return, the team gave up Nikita Zadorov, Grigorenko, J.T. Compher, and a 2015 second-round pick. They were clearly trying to add some capable scorers into a lineup that couldn’t score. O’Reilly put up 60 points in 71 games during this season, leading as the team’s first-line center.Related: Buffalo Sabres Report Card Through First Half of SeasonThe team finished with a record of 35-36-11, accumulating 27 more points than the previous season. During the 2016 NHL Draft, the Sabres selected Alex Nylander with their eighth-overall pick. Only Rasmus Asplund remains with the organization, which shows how poorly the scouting department evaluated the players selected from the second to the seventh round.2016-17: Some Assembly RequiredThis was a season filled with injuries for the team, as Eichel missed the first seven weeks after suffering a high-ankle sprain in practice. This was also Kyle Okposo’s first season as a Sabre, and he put up a respectable 45 points in 65 games. Although the playoffs were in reach during multiple points in the season, the team generated enough scoring throughout their lineup.Brian Gionta (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Leading up to the season, the Sabres had acquired Jimmy Vesey for a 2016 third-round pick from the Nashville Predators, as he was the biggest college free agent on the market. Ultimately, Buffalo couldn’t convince him to sign with the team, and he left for the New York Rangers. The only trade deadline acquisition for the team was Mat Bodie, and they moved Daniel Catenacci to the Rangers. The team would end up finishing with a record of 33-37-12, missing the playoffs by 17 points.Looking back at the 2017 NHL Draft, the team had the eighth-overall selection for the second year in a row. With that pick, they selected Casey Mittelstadt, who is finally starting to look like a player. He had very high expectations, and it does not seem like he will ever live up to them, but he will be a solid middle-six player for years to come. Jacob Bryson, selected in the fourth round, has provided good value and looks like he can be a third-pairing defenseman. 2017-18: Fallin for DahlinThe Sabres should have put a team by Eichel at this point, but they actually got worse. In the offseason, they re-acquired Pominville, as well as adding Marco Scandella and Nathan Beaulieu. This ended up being O’Reilly’s last season with the team, as he put up another 60-point season. He lost his love of the game, stating, “That’s how I kind of fell out of love with it, and I miss that. I want to get back to myself.” (Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly says he lost the love of the game, lacked mental toughness,” The Buffalo News – 04/09/2018).Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin celebrates his goal (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)At the trade deadline, Kane was sent to the San Jose Sharks for a 2019 first-round pick, Daniel O’Regan, and a 2020 fourth-round pick. He was scoring at a 30-goal pace, but the team was clearly going to be one of the last-place teams, and they wanted the best chance to draft Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. That would end up being the case, as the Sabres finished with a record of 25-45-12, which put them eight points behind the next worse team. After such a terrible season full of setbacks and heartaches, there was hope within the organization. The Sabres won the draft lottery and selected Dahlin with the first-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He has showcased his potential throughout his first three seasons, but there is a next level for him to reach. We’ll have to see if he can do it.2018-19: This Team Is Unstoppable, Except They’re NotThe Sabres looked poised to make the postseason for the first time in eight seasons, as they went on a 10-game winning streak in November, making their record after 25 games an outstanding 17-6-2. (“Sabres ride longest winning streak of season into grueling stretch”, The Buffalo News – 11/15/2018) The key factor on why the team was outperforming expectations was Jeff Skinner, who the Sabres acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in change for Cliff Pu, a 2019 second-round pick, and a 2020 third- and sixth-round pick. How could a season full of so many positives end up derailing so quickly?The team went 16-33-8 in the remaining 57 games of the season, and once again, there was no depth scoring players like Vladimir Sobotka or Tage Thompson. In the previous offseason, Robin Lehner left the team, and it hurt them. He perennially put up around a .920 save percentage when he was here, and they couldn’t replace it. They signed Carter Hutton to a three-year contract, worth an average annual value of $2.75 million — he underperformed immediately and still is overpaid relative to his deal. After everything went right, the true Sabres had awoken and that led to another season full of failures.Buffalo Sabres forward Jeff Skinner (53) celebrates his game-winning goal following the overtime period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, in Buffalo N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)At the trade deadline, the team believed that they could still fight for a wildcard spot and acquired Brandon Montour from the Anaheim Ducks. In that deal, they sent prospect Brandon Guhle and a 2019 first-round pick (via San Jose), which clearly sent the message that losing was no longer acceptable. In the end, the team finished with a record of 33-39-10, missing the playoffs by 22 points.Related: Sabres GM Kevyn Adams Predicts More Change After Krueger FiringAt the 2019 NHL Draft, the team had two first-round picks, as they acquired one in the O’Reilly trade. First, with the eighth-overall selection, they picked Dylan Cozens from the Western Hockey League. He is currently playing in his rookie season and looks to be a solid top-six option for years to come, and he can play center and wing. Ryan Johnson was selected with the 31st pick and is a potential second-pairing defenseman based on his ceiling. 2019-20: Is This Finally the Year?In the offseason leading up to the 2019-20 NHL season, the Sabres made deals to make their team better. They re-acquired Vesey and snagged Colin Miller for the blue line. They traded Nylander for Henri Jokiharju, which seemed very good at the time, but time will tell who the better player is. Although the on-paper roster looked promising, the Sabres could not make the postseason for the ninth year in a row. This was when the Eichel trade rumors started to gain speculation. Henri Jokiharju, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)The trade deadline saw the team get bamboozled by the Canadiens, as they sent Scandella to Montreal for a 2020 fourth-round pick, and the Habs traded him a month later to St. Louis for a 2020 second- and fourth-round pick. They acquired Wayne Simmonds from the New Jersey Devils for a 2021 conditional fifth-round pick, as they wanted to paint the picture that they still cared. The biggest move was acquiring Dominik Kahun from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues, which was seen as a terrific deal at the time. Kahun was an upgrade over Sheary, and Rodrigues was bad in his role on the team’s bottom-six forward lines.Related: NHL Rumors: Oilers, Stars, Senators, Sabres and Hall, MoreThe 2020 NHL Draft saw the team have the eighth-overall selection for the fourth time in five seasons, and with that pick, they selected Jack Quinn. Due to the pandemic, he has gotten the chance to be on the Sabres’ taxi squad and play with the Rochester Americans in the AHL. Although there were players in Marco Rossi and Cole Perfetti who were seen as better options, time will tell if that was a good selection.2020-21: We Must Make the PlayoffsFinally, we have arrived at the current season. The Sabres just fired their head coach in Ralph Krueger, and the team is currently on a 13-game losing streak. They signed Taylor Hall in the offseason to a one-year deal in the hopes that he would excel on a line with Eichel, but that hasn’t worked out. Eric Staal was brought in to be a mentor on the second line. Skinner has played on the team’s third and fourth line for the entire season and is being paid an average annual value of $9 million for the next six seasons. Nothing has gone well in Buffalo. Taylor, Hall Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)The trade deadline is on April 12, and names like Staal and Hall are likely to be moved if the team can find suitors for them. Eichel’s name is out there, and that is likely a deal made in the offseason. If that happens, the main takeaway will be that this is the most dysfunctional organization in pro sports. They have to reconcile the relationship with this player and build a future around him.Regarding the upcoming draft in June, it has been learned that the Sabres are primarily relying on video scouting, and they do not employ scouts to cover the WHL, Finland, or Russia. How can anybody be hopeful that this team will become better in the future?Overall, this past decade has been awful to witness in all aspects. From acquiring Pominville to trading away everybody to land McDavid, this organization is a tire fire. The good news is that they have set the bar so low that it will be almost impossible to regard it as worse for the next decade. Always look for the positives. Sign up for our regular 'Sabres Newsletter' for all the latest.Email *Submit Continue Reading »NHL Rumors: Sabres, Flames, Flyers, Canucks, Maple Leafs, MoreBy Jim Parsons on Mar 21, 2021 01:20 pmIn today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Buffalo Sabres are going to have trouble getting real value for Eric Staal and one NHL executive outlines the absolute best they’ll likely do on a return. There’s a trade proposal out there between the Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames that another NHL exec thinks makes sense and the Vancouver Canucks are not sellers just yet. Finally, is there any chance the Toronto Maple Leafs acquire a defenseman?Staal Return Not All That HighAs part of a recent article for The Athletic, scribe Craig Custance ran some trade proposals by anonymous NHL executives and when asked if a trade between the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres made sense for Staal, the teams did, but not the asking price. Eric Staal, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)What was thrown out there was a second-round pick going to Buffalo for Staal, but the exec responded: “Carolina says no. I think they would take him but not for a second-round pick. The absolute home run for Staal is a third-round pick. You’re probably looking at a fourth-rounder now. Buffalo has fewer teams to deal with.”source – ‘Who says no? NHL executives evaluate your trade proposals for Eichel, Mantha, Dumba and others’ – Craig Custance – The Athletic – 03/21/2021We’ve mentioned in previous reports that Canadian teams seem to be out of the running on Staal and with his age and salary, he’s not going to be as valuable on the trade market as some might have thought early on. It will be interesting to see if the difference in draft pick is a result of the Sabres choosing to retain salary on the player. Flyers and Flames Have Right Pieces to Make a Deal?When another executive was asked about trade between the Flyers and Flames — one that would see Johnny Gaudreau and a second-round pick go to the Flyers for Travis Konecny and a fifth-round pick — this was a trade that got some support. One NHL executive responded:“Great one. That’s a great one. I think you have a deal. The reason is, there’s tons of room for Johnny in Philadelphia. Konecny fits into what Calgary is doing. The question to me is: Is Philly comfortable trading for Gaudreau when they have a great shot at him in free agency (in 2022)? Philly being just outside the playoffs today, this might help them get in the playoffs. The beauty is you get Johnny now and you can sign him. If they’re on the outside looking in, this is the offensive shot in the arm.”source – ‘Who says no? NHL executives evaluate your trade proposals for Eichel, Mantha, Dumba and others’ – Craig Custance – The Athletic – 03/21/2021Canucks Aren’t Sellers… At Least Not YetAs per a report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Vancouver Canucks have decided to hold off on becoming sellers now that they’ve climbed back into the Scotia North Division playoff race. Before deciding to offload assets, they want to see how things play out.BUFFALO, NY – JUNE 24: General manager Jim Benning of the Vancouver Canucks speaks at the podium during round one of the 2016 NHL Draft at First Niagara Center on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)Not only that, but Satiar Shah of Sportsnet notes that, currently, the best-case scenario if the Canucks were to trade Tanner Pearson would now be to get a conditional draft pick for him — assuming he’s healthy enough to move before the trade deadline. There’s no need to rush a deal like that if the return isn’t there. For other Canadian teams, this will slow down the market as clubs in the North Division might have been more likely to make deals amongst each other. With only the Ottawa Senators as true sellers, there’s not a lot for teams to pluck from. At this point, Friedman believes the amount of interest in the Senators’ pending UFAs will determine how busy they and the market is for Canadian clubs. Friedman also notes the Columbus Blue Jackets are holding off after battling back into the postseason.Maple Leafs Could Still Acquire a DefensemanYesterday, we noted that most insiders have the Maple Leafs pegged as a team that will trade for a forward. That said, Chris Johnston of Sportsnet says that GM Kyle Dubas could still land a blueliner before the deadline. Johnston acknowledged the Leafs have limited cap-space resources but he’s heard they are linked to a couple of defensemen. Obviously, Mattias Ekholm is a name that has been linked to Toronto, but the asking price is up there. Could there be another player on the Leafs’ radar that no one is talking about?Sign up for our regular 'Rumors Newsletter' for all the latest.Email *Submit Continue Reading »Sabres Trade Jonas Johansson to AvalancheBy Jordan Jacklin on Mar 20, 2021 04:26 pmThe Buffalo Sabres have traded goaltender Jonas Johansson to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2021 6th-round pick.At first glance, most of the Buffalo Sabres fans would be surprised that the team was able to recoup assets for Johansson, as he has had a horrific season. He currently has a .884 save percentage (SV%) across seven starts for the team, and when looking at the advanced statistics, it doesn’t make him look better. He currently ranks 53rd out of 71 goaltenders that have played at least two games this season. So, the question has to be, why did the Avalanche made a deal on Friday to acquire this goaltender? There are two sides to this. The Sabres just signed goaltender Micheal Houser to a one-year, $700,000 contract and will be battling with Dustin Tokarski and Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen to play games in Rochester. This made Johansson expendable. For the Avalanche, there was a concern over the play of their third-string goaltender Hunter Miska, and I believe they have upgraded in that position.To get a better understanding, let’s take a deeper dive into what Colorado is getting in Johansson and what the Sabres are getting in Houser.Colorado Gets an Average Third-String GoaltenderBased on his play this season, the Avalanche are not getting an NHL-caliber goaltender, but he can play for their American Hockey League (AHL) team with the Eagles. In 41 career AHL games with the Rochester Americans, he has a record of 25-11-7, along with a .908 SV%. There is enough sample size to indicate that this player is an average starter in the minors and can play a couple of NHL games if someone is injured.Jonas Johansson, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)The biggest factor here is that goaltenders are completely random, and their career trajectory can change instantly on a new team. Devan Dubnyk looked like a goaltender that would be out of the league when the Minnesota Wild acquired him, but he ended up becoming a solid starter for them. Michael Hutchinson was traded to the Avalanche last season and actually ended up playing games for them in the second round when Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz both were injured. He was able to help the team force Game 7 against the Dallas Stars, with his best performance coming in game six, where he stopped 27 of 28 shots.Related: Buffalo Sabres Report Card Through First Half of SeasonNever write off a goaltender as they can be a wildcard. For Johansson, the opportunity to play in Colorado is greater than in Buffalo, as Francouz is on long-term injured reserve, and he can battle for a roster spot with Miska. Let’s see how he does with a contending team in front of him. What the Sabres Are Getting in HouserBefore today, there is a good chance that you had never heard of this player. Houser is a 26-year-old, undrafted goaltender with an AHL/ECHL journeyman so far in his career. On the Sabres, he will likely be the fifth-string goaltender behind Tokarski and Luukkonen, and that is basically it. Michael Houser (CHL Images)Looking at his statistics, the former London Knights goaltender has a .915 SV% across 210 games in the ECHL and a .901 SV% across 73 games in the AHL. At this point in his career, he can be a mentor to a younger goaltender within the organization, and that is Erik Portillo, who was their 67th-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. When he eventually signs a contract with the team, he will likely start in the Cincinnati Coyotes, potentially playing with Houser.There was no reason to not sign this player, as this organization needed to add depth for all positions.Overall, by just watching him play in games and practices, as John Vogl put it, Johansson doesn’t stop pucks and is quite often out of position. A change in environment will likely help him clear his mind and hopefully get into some games with Colorado. For the Sabres, the trades are likely just beginning as we await the trade deadline on April 12.Sign up for our regular 'Sabres Newsletter' for all the latest.Email *Submit Continue Reading »Recent Articles: NHL Rumors: Oilers, Stars, Senators, Sabres and Hall, MoreNHL Rumors: Ducks, Maple Leafs, Golden Knights, Sabres, Jets, MoreBuffalo Sabres Report Card Through First Half of SeasonSabres GM Kevyn Adams Predicts More Change After Krueger Firing 

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