What would a hypothetical Pavel Buchnevich trade to the Sabers look like?

If the Buffalo Sabers traded for Pavel Buchnevich, one of the downsides is that general manager Kevyn Adams would give up a good chunk of compensation, ranging from draft picks to prospects and perhaps even a player already with the big club. But we also have to remember the sense of urgency surrounding him, head coach Lindy Ruff and the Sabers organization.

So if the Blue and Gold were to overpay for Buchnevich if a trade were to begin, it would be worth it. As mentioned in yesterday’s article, he’s a proven player who has excelled with not one but two organizations, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t produce the same results with the Sabres.

Buchnevich would be a great fit in Buffalo, whether he plays on the top line or alongside Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn or JJ Peterka on the second line. So, to get him to the Queen City, what specifically does Adams have to give up?

Before we dive into what the package itself would look like, let’s talk about the state of the St. Louis Blues. General manager Doug Armstrong must rejuvenate his team, especially on the blue line, and he must also acquire prospects at the same position. Therefore, someone in the Sabres’ defensive rotation or within the system would likely head to Gateway City.

Armstrong also needs to continue to improve his overall prospect pool, which currently ranks in the middle of the league. If Adams is willing to trade a first-round pick, and that’s a likely scenario, that would give Armstrong more incentive to move Buchnevich.

And if you paid attention to the Blues last season, you may have realized that their scoring woes were worse than the Sabres’. That said, a high-end A prospect would also be worth trading to the Gateway City, preferably on the cusp of being NHL ready.