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The NHL roster freeze takes effect on Tuesday. The freeze will extend from December 19-27.
Under the roster freeze, NHL Players are protected from being traded during the holiday season. Back in the day, a player could be traded on Christmas morning. Thus, causing the player's family strife and anxiety during the holiday. The NHL and NHLPA have agreed that it's best to leave the players and their families alone during the holidays. After Boxing Day, the roster freeze will be thawed, so to speak, and the much anticipated NHL trade season will official begin. The NHL will not play any games on December 24, 25, or 26.
‘It’s the season.
One NHL GM who is sure to be busier in the weeks to come is Jason Botterill. The Buffalo Sabres GM has been having ongoing conversations with his NHL GM counterparts about trades.
When your team is 8-18-8 (22 points) and in 30th place in the NHL standings, the vultures will circle your team 24/7.
Jack Eichel is not available. Don't even bother wasting your breath.
Which Buffalo Sabres players are attracting the most interest around the NHL today?
Evander Kane is and has been the trending trade target inside the NHL. Kane is attracting a lot of attention from general managers in both conferences. There are playoff teams who are dying to add even strength scoring in the worst way. Many contending teams are playing with house money and living solely off their power play goal production. The San Jose Sharks are 30th overall in 5v5 scoring. The Pittsburgh Penguins are 29th. The Vancouver Canucks are 27th at even strength goal scoring and the Minnesota Wild are 26th
I've been reporting for months that Kane has been scouted by the St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils and Tampa Lightning.
Kane's stock price is nearing its all-time high.
Since December 3, 2016 season, Kane has scored 42 goals in 102 games played. After last night’s loss in Philly, Kane's 42 goals tie him for 20th in the NHL during that span. Kane's 34 even-strength goals (12/3/16 to present) ties him for 11th in the NHL.
Recent injuries to top six forwards is prompting mofe phone calls to Botterill from contending teams. The St. Louis Blues have lost top six forwards Robby Fabbri and Jaden Schwartz. Anaheim just lost Corey Perry to an injury and have played all season without Ryan Kesler. Ryan Getzlaf just returned from a 25 game injury. Last week, Vancouver lost top six forwards Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi to long term injuries. Columbus lost power forward Brandon Dubinsky to a long term injury earlier this week. Calgary has been struggling at 5V5 and in PP while Kris Versteeg is injured and out in the lineup.
Sabres forwards Samson Reinhart, Zemgus Girgensons, Benoit Pouliot and Johan Larsson are available. Defensemen Josh Gorges, Justin Falk, and Viktor Antipin may be available. Goalies Robin Lehner (pending RFA) and Chad Johnson (pending UFA) are also available.
Which Sabres players are going to be given amnesty from the trade winds?
I'm certain that Botterill has been asked about the availability of Sabres #1 D Rasmus Ristolainen. Phil Housley and Botterill aren't trading their best D-man. Ryan O'Reilly, Marco Scandella, Jake McCabe and Zach Bogosian are sought after players, however, they are firmly emtrenched in Buffalo's rebuild model.
Thanks to my friend Matt Bove for the Botterill video.
**
Knit one, pearl two.
On Thursday night, the Buffalo Sabres played well enough to win against the Philadelphia Flyers. However, Phil Housley's struggling offense could not hit open nets nor bury their chances.
Eichel and company need to spray a de-icing agent on their composite twigs. The Sabres offense is frozen solid. As a result, Lehner isn't getting any goal support when he needs it the most.
Lehner is doing his job keeping the game close by making the tough save when needed. His forwards and defensemen are not reciprocating.
Lehner played brilliantly once again by making 25 saves on 27 shots by the Flyers.
It's the same old story. Same old song and dance, my friends.
The Sabres entered their game with the Flyers feeling good about themselves. They were on a four game points streak. Lehner had posted a 2-0-2 record in the Sabres' last four games , including four points in three consecutive road games against the Avalanche, Blackhawks and Blues. Lehner's 2-0-2 streak came immediately after a wretched 1-9-2 record.
In Philly, Ryan O'Reilly opened the scoring early in the game. Then, Travis Sanheim scored his first goal of his NHL career to even it up at 1-1. Val Filpulla scored the eventual game winning goal at the 17:27 mark of the second period.
In the end, the Flyers dropped in a 1-2-2 neutral zone trap and sand bagged the flow game of the Sabres. Buffalo managed to dot Flyers goalie Brian Elliott with just 20 shots on goal in 60 minutes of game action.
The Sabres went quietly into that good night.
Don't blame Lehner. He more than held his own in the third period. Blame the forwards and defensemen for not picking up their goalie who has been saving their bacon repeated for the past two weeks.
Lehner must know that NHL scouts are watching his every save right now. He's certainly elevated his gzme to the next level.
Lehner is providing stellar net neutrality to his teammates right now. The Sabres won't become a consistent winning team until the scoring becomes comensurate with the goaltending.
In 32 games played this season, the Sabres are the 31st ranked team in terms of goals scored. The Sabres have scored a league-lowest 68 goals this season. That's 2.12 goals per game.
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