The Buffalo Sabres are making moves to shore up their blue line, acquiring veteran defenseman Gavin Bayreuther from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward prospect Viktor Neuchev. It’s a depth play that speaks to where the Sabres are right now - surging, competitive, and preparing for the grind of a playoff push.
Bayreuther, 31, has been skating with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves this season, where he’s notched four goals and 13 points in 33 games. He’s a 6-foot-2, left-shot defenseman with over 100 games of NHL experience under his belt and a cap hit of $775,000 through the end of the season. He brings a steady, veteran presence to the organization - the kind of insurance policy teams need when the schedule tightens and the injuries start piling up.
And that’s exactly what’s happening in Buffalo. The Sabres, fresh off a dominant 5-0 win over the New York Islanders, are one of the hottest teams in the league. But they’re also dealing with injuries to Conor Timmins and Jacob Bryson, and with a compressed schedule ahead, adding a reliable, experienced blue-liner makes a lot of sense.
Bayreuther’s NHL journey has been anything but linear. Undrafted out of St.
Lawrence University, he broke into the pro ranks with the AHL’s Texas Stars in 2017. He made his NHL debut with Dallas during the 2018-19 season, then signed with Columbus in 2020, where he played under current Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen.
Over parts of three seasons with the Blue Jackets, Bayreuther logged 103 games and tallied three goals and 23 points. He’s never been flashy, but he’s dependable - and that’s exactly what Buffalo needs right now.
On the flip side of the deal, the Sabres part ways with Viktor Neuchev, a 22-year-old winger still waiting for his first NHL look. Drafted in the third round back in 2022, Neuchev has shown flashes in the AHL with Rochester, posting six goals and 16 points in 34 games this season.
Over three seasons, he’s totaled 24 goals and 66 points in 130 games. But with Buffalo’s forward group already brimming with young talent, there just hasn’t been a clear path for him to break through.
Neuchev heads to Chicago, where he’ll join a Wolves team that could give him more opportunity and a fresh start. Bayreuther, meanwhile, is expected to report to Rochester - at least for now. But with the Sabres eyeing a serious postseason run, don’t be surprised if he’s called upon sooner rather than later.
This is the kind of move that doesn’t make headlines but could prove valuable down the stretch. Buffalo isn’t just thinking about today - they’re preparing for the long haul.