The Buffalo Sabres appear to be pivoting after failing to land Connor Hellebuyck, and have an eye on another Team USA gold-medal winner.
During the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, insider Elliotte Friedman confirmed that the Sabres have tried to get into the Dylan Larkin sweepstakes. That situation makes them a dark horse team, considering that other organizations have laid down significant work ahead of Buffalo.
But there might just be a chance that the Sabres could be the club that ends up coming in with the best offer.
“I think it’s true that Buffalo has tried to get in there. Like, can we do something? And maybe, you know what the Sabres have to do? They have to schedule a home game… where every Sabres fan gets in there and yells, ‘We want Larkin,’ so they can get on the list, too.”
Of course, there is no knowledge of the Sabres being on Dylan Larkin’s trade list. But the belief is, which Friedman has also confirmed, that if a team comes in with a strong offer, the Red Wings will take it to Larkin’s camp and make a deal happen.
Could it be that Buffalo might come in hot and blow the doors off this entire Dylan Larkin conversation? Given the way things are going for the Sabres, there might just be a chance something like that materializes.
Sabres Are Looking to Add Scoring
There is no question that the Sabres are looking to add scoring. They are currently in the bottom third in the league in goals per game. That situation, coupled with the team tanking in the standings, puts pressure on GM Jarmo Kekalainen to do something.
Now, the prevailing wisdom is that Buffalo could use a scorer, period. But conventional wisdom suggests that the team needs a center. Jiri Kulich hasn’t lived up to expectations, while Josh Norris continues plagued by injuries.
That’s why Buffalo could certainly use a center like Dylan Larkin. And if that’s the eventual outcome, Larkin could easily step in as the Sabres’ number-one center right off the bat.
Could Buffalo Actually Pull Off Dylan Larkin Deal?
Theoretically, well, anything is possible. The current situation that has the Red Wings suspending Larkin might have reached a boiling point, forcing Detroit to do something.
But looking at things realistically, the Sabres have two hurdles they’ll need to clear. Firstly, the so-called “prohibitive” price tag on Dylan Larkin means that any conversation will likely start with Jack Quinn. There is little chance the Red Wings would take either Kulich or Norris.
And that’s too bad because the second hurdle is cap space. There is no way that the Sabres can take on Larkin’s cap hit at this point unless they dumped a big contract.
Norris’ deal would be ideal. Yes, he’s a talented player. He’s already sustained a concussion this season and is currently playing on the third line.
Meanwhile, there really isn’t anyone out there that stands out as an obvious salary to move.
It’s worth keeping in mind that things can change in a hurry. So, it wouldn’t be totally out of left field to see the Sabres really up the ante, at least as far as they can.
Sabres Could Be Dark Horse Team for Dylan Larkin, Friedman