Detroit Red Wings assistant GM Kris Draper has been making the rounds, and one of his latest stops came in Buffalo.
Draper was in the building Friday night for the Sabres’ 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, marking at least his second Sabres game during the regular season. He also was reportedly in Toronto on Tuesday for the Utah-Leafs game.
The timing is notable because Detroit has been tied to a pair of major roster situations, with Dylan Larkin and RFA Simon Edvinsson both in play. NHL insiders have said the Sabres are on the outside looking in on the Larkin sweepstakes, with the Red Wings former captain not expected to broaden his list of preferred teams beyond the 10 clubs his agent submitted.
Even so, Detroit’s interest in Buffalo doesn’t appear to be casual. Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen has been rumored to be looking for a scorer since Alex Tuch departed last summer, and there have been reports he made a significant offer to Detroit for Larkin. TSN’s Darren Dreger, Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun, along with David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, have all indicated that teams outside the original 10 have shown interest.
For now, the bigger pressure point may be Edvinsson. The top-pairing defenseman must sign by December 1 if he’s going to play in the NHL this season, and there has been no indication he’s close to a deal with Detroit. That makes a trade involving him look like the more urgent issue for the Wings.
Kekalainen’s challenge is obvious: most teams aren’t eager to shake up their rosters before U.S. Thanksgiving, and clubs outside the playoff picture may not want to move rental pieces until the New Year or later, closer to the trade deadline.
Detroit, meanwhile, may be betting on patience. The Wings could be hoping Larkin grows frustrated with the delay and eventually agrees to expand his list.
In Other News...
Sabres Decisions Vs Vegas Put Two Familiar Names On Notice
The Sabres skated at KeyBank Center on the eve of their matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights, and the morning practice offered a pretty clear hint about how Lindy Ruff is leaning. Buffalo appears set to keep the same lines it used in its previous game, which leaves a couple of familiar names in an uncomfortable spot as the lineup takes shape for a tough Western Conference test.
Ryan McLeod and Louis Crevier were the players most likely to be left out if Ruff sticks with that approach, while Colten Ellis is expected to get the start in goal as Buffalo continues its two-goalie rotation with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Alex Lyon is also moving closer to a return, which adds another layer to a crease situation that is already worth watching as the Sabres try to settle things down in net. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Suddenly Face A Bigger Matt Grzelcyk Injury Concern
Matt Grzelcyks absence has stretched well past the point where the Sabres could treat it like a short-term inconvenience. The veteran defenseman has been out with a lower-body injury for nearly five weeks, and head coach Lindy Ruff said the recovery has stalled, leaving Buffalo without one of its more experienced blue-line options as the team keeps waiting for signs of progress.
For a club trying to manage its defensive depth, the concern is no longer just when Grzelcyk might be back, but whether the current plan is moving him forward at all. The Sabres have not offered a firm timetable, and with the injury still lingering, the next step could become a bigger question if the situation does not change soon. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Expose A Blue Jackets Problem That Could Keep Growing
The Blue Jackets trip to Buffalo offered another reminder of how fragile the early part of a road swing can be when a team is still trying to find its footing. Columbus dropped a 5-2 decision to the Sabres in the second half of a back-to-back, with Kent Johnson and Zach Werenski providing the offense for the visitors while Buffalo got a big night from Josh Norris and a playmaking boost from Owen Power.
For a team already dealing with the grind of travel and quick turnarounds, the concern is less about one loss than the pattern forming around it. Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness, along with Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivier, all addressed the teams issues in road games and back-to-backs, and the challenge now is whether Columbus can stop those problems from becoming a defining trait instead of a temporary rough patch. [Read more 🡒]