Right on cue, Darcy Regier made some moves at the deadline today despite a fairly uninteresting flurry of trading overall in the NHL.
Buffalo gets Raffi Torres from Columbus. He immediately overtakes the lead on the team in goals scored with 19. He’s a high energy, physical winger who should add a spark more than a Zubrus or Bernier. He is a free agent at the end of the year.
The Sabres give up Nathan Paetsch and a 2nd round pick. Paetsch struggled to crack the lineup on a consistent basis but was always ready to fill in on defense or even the wing whenever asked. Paetsch is a good fit for Columbus and should see more playing time there.
Paetsch’s final numbers with Buffalo:
157 games
7 goals
35 assists
42 points
+17 rating
5.0 shooting percentage
Minutes after the Torres trade, the Sabres traded Clarke MacArthur to Atlanta for two draft pics.
MacArthur was surprisingly popular despite not living up to his perceived potential as a 20-goal a year guy. Of his 26 points this season, seven came in his first ten games. Getting a relatively high 3rd and 4th round pick (assuming Atlanta misses the playoffs) likely makes up for giving up a low 2nd round pick in exchange for Torres.
His final numbers as a Sabre:
187 games
41 goals
38 assists
79 points
-11 rating
15.0 shooting percentage (fairly impressive %)
Like a standard trade deadline in Buffalo, the Sabres make a couple solid moves that don’t shake the boat but theoretically provide a spark to the roster as they enter the stretch run.
P.S. The Washington Capitals (tonight’s opponent) have basically shored up for at least a Conference Finals appearance this season by adding Scott Walker, Joe Corvo, and Eric Belanger. If Valarmov gets back his playoff form from last season, a Stanley Cup should be imminent, otherwise, Pittsburgh seems to be the team to beat after adding Ponikarovsky and Leopold.
P.P.S. Would have loved to see Jeff Halpern join the Sabres instead of moving to L.A. Very Mike Grier-esque with his quiet yet profound leadership abilities on every team he plays for. He is also a perennial face-off asset, something we could use more than ever with Gaustad out for a week.
