As the 2026 NHL trade deadline inches closer, the Buffalo Sabres are in a position they haven’t been in for a long time: buyers with a real shot at ending a 14-year playoff drought. Sitting in the thick of the Eastern Conference race, Buffalo has a roster that’s shown flashes of being postseason-ready - but still has a few holes that could use patching.
One of those areas? The right side of their blue line.
Enter Zach Whitecloud.
Currently with the Calgary Flames after starting the season with the Vegas Golden Knights, Whitecloud is the kind of steady, right-shot defenseman who could quietly but effectively round out Buffalo’s D corps. He’s not a flashy name, but that’s exactly what makes him a smart target. He plays a reliable, physical game, and his ability to move up and down the lineup gives the Sabres some much-needed flexibility on the back end.
Right now, Buffalo could use a stabilizing presence on that third pairing - someone who can eat minutes, kill penalties, and bring a little bite in the defensive zone. Whitecloud checks all those boxes.
Through 49 games this season, split between Vegas and Calgary, he’s logged two goals and eight points. But the real value comes in the intangibles: 66 blocked shots and 70 hits.
That’s the kind of gritty, stay-at-home presence that complements the Sabres’ more mobile defensemen.
And here’s the kicker: Whitecloud isn’t a rental. He’s under contract at a manageable $2.75 million cap hit through the 2027-28 season. That gives Buffalo not only immediate help for a playoff push but also a longer-term piece who can grow with this young core.
If the Sabres are serious about making a run - not just this year, but in the seasons to come - adding a player like Whitecloud could be a savvy move. He won’t steal headlines, but he might help win games. And for a franchise trying to turn the corner after more than a decade of frustration, that’s exactly the kind of addition that makes sense.