Buffalo Sabers leave a lot to be desired after 2024 NHL Draft

BUFFALO, New York. (WKBW) — From the moment the Buffalo Sabers traded back to the 14th pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, it became clear that general manager Kevyn Adams was ready to make moves to acquire the right talent for strengthen its alignment.

However, according to Adams’ post-round press conference Friday night, there was simply no move to be made.

“We were aggressive and there just weren’t trades that we could convince the other teams on,” Adams said Friday. “That’s how it happens.”

So we head into Saturday and, just five minutes before the start of the second and final day of the draft, the result happens. The Sabers made a trade. But the result left many fans perplexed.

The Buffalo Sabers have acquired forward Beck Malenstyn from the Washington Capitals in exchange for the 43rd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/1rLwWjqSEk

— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) June 29, 2024

Buffalo traded the 43rd overall pick it received in the trade with San Jose on Thursday to the Washington Capitals for forward Beck Malenstyn. While that may have fit the mold that head coach Lindy Ruff would want to see in his final six players, it wasn’t the “big one” that trade fans wanted to see.

Especially after the Utah hockey club acquired defenseman John Marino and the No. 153 overall pick from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a second-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick from Edmonton.

Then there were the picks and Buffalo selected eight prospects total, nine if you include Konsta Helenius from day one.

Dom Tibbetts

Now that the draft is over, it’s time for Kevyn Adams and his team to become free agents, as they continue to look for the pieces that will make this Sabers team better right now.

“Adding a player that really fit what we were looking for was also something we hoped to do. You quickly turn your attention to the fact that we came out of the draft, we had some things we were working on. Now, if there are free agents that we’re looking at that we think can help us in the way that we need them to, then we’re going to go after them. »

Dom’s take

Adams continues to say all the right things and I admire the transparency he shows with journalists. It’ll never be perfect, but it’s certainly welcome. I believe he will spare no effort to build the Sabers roster into a team that can not only end the playoff drought, but also compete for a Stanley Cup.

However, I think this will force him to spend more than necessary. We’ve already gotten a quick idea of ​​the difficulties he and his team faced during the last two days of the NHL draft in securing a deal that will change the team’s organization.

And guess what, if that’s what it takes to accomplish all the things I just mentioned above, then do it. You just freed up $31 million in salary cap room this offseason by buying out Jeff Skinner’s contract.

Not a single member of BillsMafia ever thinks about the fact that Brandon Beane gave up the 12th overall pick and two second-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft to select Josh Allen with the 7th overall pick. Because it set the franchise on a trajectory of “overall” success.

If Adams needs to double down on the level of “aggressiveness” he talks about to attract the talent needed to finally put the Buffalo Sabres on a trajectory for long-term success, do it.

If this works, no one will ever question his reasoning, because everyone will be too busy packing the KeyBank Center on a May/June night to watch their beloved Sabres fight for a title.

And if it doesn’t, it won’t matter because Kevyn Adams won’t see out next season as Buffalo’s general manager if they miss the playoffs again.

So yes, GMKA, take a chance and let go. What is left to lose?