The 2015 NHL trade deadline is weeks away, but the Buffalo Sabres already made the splash of the season, acquiring embattled forward Evander Kane from the Winnipeg Jets in a blockbuster deal that also brought defenseman Zach Bogosian. Drew Stafford, Tyler Myers, two high-end prospects and a conditional first-round pick were sent to Winnipeg in the deal. And if that wasn't enough action for one day, Sabres general manager Tim Murray unloaded one of his pending unrestricted free agents by trading goaltender Jhonas Enroth to the Dallas Stars for netminder Anders Lindback and a conditional third-round pick. It's no surprise to see the Sabres so aggressive in moving pieces. An abysmal 2014-15 season that has them in last place in the NHL with a dreadful record makes them the clear front-runner in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes.
Status: SELLER.
Available: Though the Sabres have already unloaded a trio of players from their roster -- as well as prospects Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux -- it's safe to assume there could still be more Sabres on the move in advance of the March 2 deadline. As one NHL scout offered, watch for Chris Stewart and Cody Hodgson to be in play.
Let's begin with the former because his name always seems to pop up this time of year. Though the 27-year-old forward has had a difficult season (9 goals, 22 points and a minus-30) that included a stint as a healthy scratch, Stewart could still provide an attractive option for a team looking to add size and strength on the wing. Meanwhile, Hodgson has had one of the most curious declines of any top prospect in recent history, but the first-round pick could benefit from a change in scenery. After a 20-goal season in 2013-14, Hodgson has seen his play regress and his role diminish to the point of being a healthy scratch recently. But, he's still just 24. There's plenty of hope that he could reclaim his career elsewhere.
Finances: Considering the Sabres are in sell mode, cap constraints are hardly an issue, with almost $10 million remaining in cap space, according to NHLNumbers.com. That remains true even with the contracts recently added in the trade for Kane and Bogosian. In acquiring Kane for the long term (he recently underwent shoulder surgery and is out for the season), the Sabres took on his contract, which pays him $6 million annually for the next three seasons. Bogosian is in the second season of a seven-year deal that is worth $36 million in total, averaging out to $5.143 annually.
Scouting the GM: Murray has never shied away from making the bold move. Even before the multiplayer deal that dramatically changed both the Sabres and Jets, Murray has made significant trades since taking on the GM role in Buffalo. He moved franchise goaltender Ryan Miller and veteran forward Steve Ott in a trade with the St. Louis Blues last season, and he landed Josh Gorges this past summer, after the veteran blue-liner refused to waive his no-trade clause to join the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's been a busy past few seasons for Murray and the rebuilding Sabres and he may not even be done yet.