Roll the calendar back to end of 2018 and it looked like the Buffalo Sabres had finally, FINALLY turned the corner in their development. The hard luck Sabres rattled off a 10 game win streak in November and were firmly in a playoff position for the first time in years… literally years. Since then though the team has failed HARD in the standings and are now on the outside of the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs picture looking in, a clear six points behind both the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the picture of consistency, the Minnesota Wild, are in a similar battle. After six consecutive playoff appearances and three consecutive opening round losses, the Wild now look in SERIOUS risk of missing the postseason for the first time since 2011-12. The Wild hold just a one point advantage over the Vancouver Canucks in the wildcard race and have been passed by the surging St. Louis Blues in the past two weeks.
All of these leads to questions about what the Sabres and Wild should and will do at the NHL’s Trade Deadline one week from today.
In his latest column for the Buffalo News, Sabres insider Mike Harrington proposes a potential deal between the two struggling clubs surrounding Wild centerman Charlie Coyle.
Check it out:
The 6-foot-2 Coyle, who can also play right wing, probably can still be had at a cost and you wonder if it might mean one of the Sabres' three first-round draft picks. A major retooling appears imminent in Minny, which has made the playoffs for six consecutive seasons but has combined to win just four games in getting blitzed out of the first round the last three seasons.
It’s certainly an interesting proposition, but it really comes down to how Wild GM Paul Fenton feels about his team. If he believes they can continue to push for a playoff spot then there’s no way Coyle gets moved, especially with centerman Mikko Koivu out for the season. If, however, Fenton believes that a rebuild or retool is in order, then all bets are off. As Harrington points out, the Sabres have three first round picks to use as potential trade bait. If Fenton elects to pull the plug on 2018-19, don’t be surprised if Coyle is moved to the Sabres in exchange for a first round pick.
