The Buffalo Sabres made another trade with the Winnipeg Jets to bolster their roster.
After Buffalo acquired defenseman Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley from the Jets, the team made another move with the Jets on March 6.
According to TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger, the Sabres have acquired Tanner Pearson for a seventh-round pick.
Pearson was selected 30th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. Although he was selected in the first round, it was the third time Pearson was eligible to be drafted after going undrafted in the first two years.
The veteran forward helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2014, as he recorded 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points in 24 playoff games.
This season with the Jets, Pearson has struggled as he’s skated in 52 games, recording 7 goals and 6 assists for 13 points. However, he can be a bottom-six forward for the Sabres and add some secondary scoring and veteran playoff experience.
Pearson signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Jets this summer and is a pending free agent.
Sabres Active for Playoff Push
Buffalo looks poised to snap their playoff drought this season, and the team was active ahead of the trade deadline.
The Sabres kicked off their deadline by acquiring Schenn and Stanley. In return, Buffalo gave up forward Isak Rosen, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a 2026 fourth-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick.
The moves bolster the Sabres’ blue line, and it comes after the deal for Colton Parayko fell through due to Parayko not waiving his no-trade clause.
Schenn is a veteran, solid defensive defenseman who has plenty of playoff experience. He’s recorded 1 goal and 6 assists for 7 points in 46 games this season. Schenn is in the final year of his three-year, $8.25 million deal.
Stanley, meanwhile, can add some offense to the Sabres’ blue line. He’s recorded 9 goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 59 games this season. Stanley, like Schenn, is a big defenseman who’s also a pending free agent as the 6-foot-7 left-shot is in the final year of his two-year, $2.5 million deal.
After the deals for the defenseman, the Sabres then acquired forward Sam Carrick from the New York Rangers. The Sabres gave up a 2026 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Carrick is a bottom-six forward who adds more depth to the lineup. He’s recorded 4 goals and 6 assists for 10 points in 60 games this season. The veteran centerman is in the second year three-year, $3 million deal.
Buffalo Was Expected to be Buyers
The Sabres have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL. So, Buffalo was a buyer ahead of the deadline.
Buffalo is firmly in a playoff spot. Star forward Tage Thompson was excited that the team was in this position.
“We’ve been taking it one game at a time, but I think Saturday made a statement about us as a group,” Thompson said. “From where we were at the start of the year to now, as we started to get hot, talking about making the playoffs.
“Now I think we’ve proven that not only can we make the playoffs, but we can be a real team. I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. But everyone in that locker room believes we’re a dangerous team.”
The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs in 14 seasons.
NHL Trades: Sabres Acquire Stanley Cup Winning Forward For Playoff Race