Buffalo Sabers leave a lot to be desired after 2024 NHL Draft

BUFFALO, New York. (WKBW) — From the moment the Buffalo Sabers traded back to the 14th pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, it became clear that general manager Kevyn Adams was ready to make moves to acquire the right talent for strengthen its alignment.

However, according to Adams’ post-round press conference Friday night, there was simply no move to be made.

“We were aggressive and there just weren’t trades that we could convince the other teams on,” Adams said Friday. “That’s how it happens.”

So we head into Saturday and just five minutes before the start of the second and final day of the draft, this happens. The Sabers made a trade. But the result left many fans perplexed.

The Buffalo Sabres have acquired forward Beck Malenstyn from the Washington Capitals in exchange for the 43rd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/1rLwWjqSEk

– Sabres Public Relations (@SabresPR) June 29, 2024

Buffalo traded the 43rd overall pick it got in the trade with San Jose on Thursday to the Washington Capitals for forward Beck Malenstyn. While that may fit the mold head coach Lindy Ruff would like to see in his bottom-of-the-board draft, it wasn’t the “big” trade fans wanted to see.

Especially after the Utah Hockey Club acquired defenseman John Marino and the No. 153 overall pick from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a second-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick from Edmonton.

After that came the picks and Buffalo selected eight prospects total, nine if you include Konsta Helenius from day one.

Dom Tibbetts

Now that the draft is over, it’s time for Kevyn Adams and his team to hit free agency as they continue to look for the pieces that will make this Sabres team better right now.

“Adding a player that we felt was a real fit for what we were looking for was also something we were hoping to do. You quickly turn your attention to now that we’re leaving the draft, we had some things that we were working on. Now if he There are free agents we were looking for that we think could help us in the way we need, so we’re going to pursue them.”

Dom’s capture

Adams continues to say all the right things and I admire the transparency he has shown to journalists. It will never be perfect, but it is certainly welcome. I believe he will leave no stone unturned to fill out the Sabers roster to make them a team that can not only end the playoff drought, but also contend for a Stanley Cup.

However, I think this will force him to spend more than necessary. We’ve already gotten a quick sense of the difficulties he and his team faced during the last two days of the NHL draft in securing a deal that will change the team’s organization.

And guess what, if that’s what it takes to accomplish all the things I just mentioned above, then do it. You just freed up $31 million in salary cap space this offseason by buying out Jeff Skinner’s contract.

Not a single BillsMafia member ever thinks about the fact that Brandon Beane gave up the 12th overall pick and two second round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft to select Josh Allen at 7th overall. Because it set the franchise on a trajectory for “global” success.

If Adams needs to double down on the level of “aggressiveness” he talks about to attract the talent needed to finally put the Buffalo Sabres on a trajectory for long-term success, do it.

If it works, no one will ever question his reasoning, because everyone will be too busy filling KeyBank Center on a May/June evening watching their beloved Sabers fight for a title.

And if it doesn’t, it won’t matter because Kevyn Adams won’t see out next season as Buffalo’s general manager if they miss the playoffs again.

So yes, GMKA, take a chance and let go. What is left to lose?