The Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks are both in the market for offense, with each team exploring ways to find more scoring help as the season moves along.
In Buffalo, the need appears tied to the wing. The Fourth Period reported that the Sabres are believed to be looking for scoring help, possibly on the wing, though their cap room is limited to just under $2 million. The current scoring picture tells the story: Tage Thompson is the team’s No. 1 center and is second on the club with five goals, Noah Ostlund is the No. 2 center and is third with three, and Jack Quinn leads the Sabres with six goals.
Chicago’s search sounds a little more aggressive. Anthony Donati posted video noting that the Blackhawks have three first-round picks and two second-round picks, including the Canucks’ second, which gives them the assets to be aggressive if they decide to push.
Frank Seravalli also said the Blackhawks are prepared to shake things up. In NHLRumors.com transcription from his discussion, Seravalli said:
Host: “What is the front office’s appetite to possibly shake things up?
Seravalli: “Well, Pat, I’m told that Kyle Davidson is ready to do just that. I think everyone is clear about the expectations for this season: that this team needs to take a tangible step forward.
And I’m told that Kyle Davidson has been pretty active on that front, inquiring specifically about shoot-first, scoring wingers with size around the NHL. The tough part is those guys are hard to come by, and so there really hasn’t been any traction on that front with the calls that Davidson has been making.
It’s not exactly the time of year that most teams are ready to engage in those talks. But nonetheless, you can mark that pretty high on their priority list as we get closer to the March 1st deadline.
And if this slide continues, count on something bigger, perhaps in the works. ”
The Blackhawks have also been connected to Washington Capitals forward Ivan Miroshnichenko, according to The Fourth Period. Chicago has just over $2.7 million in cap space, which gives them some room, but a major move would still require money to be moved out.
Pagnotta has also said the Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken have shown interest in Miroshnichenko.
On top of that, Blackhawks forwards Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore, along with defenseman Kevin Korchinski, have had their names surface in the rumor mill this week.
In Other News...
Zach Benson May Have Given The Sabres A Needed Spark
Zach Bensons night against San Jose gave the Sabres a little of the energy they have been searching for, and it came at a useful time. Buffalo put together a tidy performance in a 2-0 victory, with the young forward finally breaking through for his first goal of the season and adding a fresh layer to a lineup that has been looking for an offensive spark.
The win was built on more than just one moment, of course, with Colten Ellis turning aside 23 shots to keep the Sharks from ever getting settled. Still, Bensons goal was the kind of timely development Buffalo can point to as it tries to find more consistent offense, and his reaction afterward suggested the moment carried some weight for him after the slow start. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have A Real Shot At A Center Fans Crave
The Sabres search for a top-line center has lingered long enough that every credible name gets attention, and Dylan Larkin is the kind of swing that naturally draws interest. The Red Wings have kept talking to teams while holding a steep price, but Buffalo has stayed in the conversation as one of the clubs monitoring the situation closely, which at least suggests the front office is willing to explore a more aggressive path if the fit is right.
Larkins request has been on Detroits books since May, and the standoff has only added pressure to a situation that already had real intrigue around the league. For Buffalo, the bigger question is whether the pieces it would take to enter that market are worth moving, with discussions reportedly centered on packages built around prospects and draft picks, a familiar formula when a team is chasing a center it believes can change the direction of its forward group. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Slow Start Puts Jarmo Kekalainen Under New Pressure
Buffalos early-season stumble has put a different kind of spotlight on Jarmo Kekalainen, whose first offseason on the job already looks like one that will be judged by how quickly the Sabres can recover. The team has gone 5-4-3 through 12 games and has not been able to match last seasons pace, with scoring and penalty killing both showing up as problem areas. Kekalainens summer overhaul, including the trades of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, was meant to reshape the roster, but the early returns on the replacements have been mixed.
For a team that entered the year hoping to stay on the rise, the slow start has only intensified the sense that Buffalo may have more work to do before it can be taken seriously in the standings. Trade chatter has already started to swirl around the Sabres, with league interest linked to another high-end center option, and that only adds pressure on a front office trying to decide whether to wait for internal fixes or make another move to change the outlook. [Read more 🡒]