PITTSBURGH – Having ascended to the the ranks of the NHL’s elite, the Buffao Sabres find themselves in the rare position of buying as Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline approaches.
Since Dec. 9, they’ve won 25 of their 32 games, earning an NHL-high 52 points and establishing themselves as a legitimate contender in the crowded and ultra-competitive Eastern Conference.
If they beat the Penguins on Thursday at PPG Paints Arena and the Tampa Bay Lightning lose in regulation to the Winnipeg Jets, the Sabres would have a share of first place with the Lightning in the Atlantic Division.
Repeating: the Sabres, the same team that ranked dead last in the conference (26 points) after losing 7-4 on Dec. 8 in Calgary, would have a share of first place in perhaps hockey’s toughest division.
So for the first time in what feels like ages, the Sabres, who own an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, might load up with assets before the trade deadline for what they hope will be a long postseason run.
We’re talking full-on go-for-it mode, as in trading top prospects and high draft picks in exchange for veteran talent.
On Wednesday afternoon, TSN journalist Darren Dreger reported the Sabres and St. Louis Blues were finalizing a trade that would send right-shot defenseman Colton Parayko to Buffalo in exchange for defense prospect Radim Mrtka, the ninth overall pick in 2025, and a first-round pick.
Victory+ journalist Frank Seravalli reported the framework of the deal was in place.
Parayko, 32, has a full-no trade clause, according to Puckpedia.com, so he must waive that to be dealt.
More on the 6-foot-6, 228-pound Parayako later.
There’s also a belief Jarmo Kekalainen shouldn’t dramatically alter one of the NHL’s best lineups before his first deadline as Sabres general manager.
They have a deep, talented group and a great thing going. Why mess with it?
Sure, like any team, extra depth on the back end would be good. Defensemen are at a premium down the stretch and in the postseason. Another winger to skate in a bottom-six role wouldn’t hurt, either.
But a blockbuster deal isn’t necessary. Simply beefing things up would be fine.
Through his first three months as GM – Kekalainen replaced Kevyn Adams on Dec. 15 – he has only made one trade, acquring a veteran defenseman for the Rochester Americans in exchange for an underachieving prospect.
Of course, Parayko, who has recently been sidelined with back spasms, would be considered a huge acquisition.
He has compiled 78 goals, 309 points and 214 penalty minutes in 781 career NHL games over 11 seasons. He won the Stanley Cup in 2019 and has played 89 career playoff games.
Parayko has compiled one goal, 15 points, 16 penalty minutes and a minus-14 rating in 58 contests this season. He averages 22 minutes, 24 seconds per outing.
He set career highs by scoring 16 goals and 36 points in 64 games last season.
Parayko has four years remaining after this season on his eight-year, $52 million contract.
The Blues drafted him in the third round in 2012, 86th overall.
If he joins Buffalo’s deep defense corps, he could push Michael Kesselring or rookie Zach Metsa out of the lineup.