The Buffalo Sabers work with the phones today, after suffering another loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins last night. At the beginning of the day, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported this GM sabers Kevyn Adams has spoken to several teams about one Taylor Hall trade and has now dealt with Eric Staal to the Montreal Canadiens. The Sabers will receive a third-round pick from 2021 and a fifth-round pick from 2021 for the veteran center. Buffalo will also withhold $ 1.625 billion (50%) from Staal’s salary and the limit reached.
Adams received a close, personal look from the Sabers last night, moving behind the bench while interim head coach Don Granato was isolated due to COVID protocols. What he saw was another wasted effort from his squad, which he lost 4-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sabers have lost 16 games in a row and have been eliminated more times than they have won the season.
Like everyone else in Buffalo, Staal has been a shadow of his old self this season, scoring just three goals and ten points in 32 games. The 36-year-old appeared to be battling his father’s time admirably last season, scoring 19 goals and 47 points in just 66 games with the Minnesota Wild. This was Staal’s fourth consecutive season in Minnesota, but a low-season job took him to Buffalo, where he has struggled to get anything. Chemistry was never formed with Hall, and Staal has sometimes been used as a Saber bottom six player. His average ice time at 15:34 of the year is the lowest of his entire career and the results have followed.
Still, there was no doubt that it was an intriguing choice for teams that wanted to bolster their central group for the throw. With a limit of only $ 3.25 million that expires at the end of the year, the financial commitment of an acquiring team would be small. Getting 1,272 regular-season games, not to mention a Stanley Cup championship (where he could easily have been awarded the Conn Smythe), would be an attractive option for any candidate if the price is right.
For the Sabers, Staal’s trade is not obvious, given how little time has passed this season, and the Canadian government’s recent decision to reduce quarantine for incoming players only increased its market. Staal has a 10-team no-exchange clause, but not getting something in return would have been a serious step by the Buffalo office.
Still, two mid-round options for a player the size of Staal can talk about the state of the market right now. There aren’t many teams in the league that want to add money to the deadline, and obviously the Sabers believed they wouldn’t get a better deal.
For Canadians, a third and a fifth are basically nothing, given the number of other selections they already have. The team had amassed 14 selections for the 2021 event, including three-thirds and three-fifths. It will be the Montreal teams that will go to Buffalo, not the ones they have acquired from other teams.
Even with wage retention, Staal’s presence in Montreal is pushing Canadians to the limit. Push Paul ByronThe contract with the taxi squad will allow them to complete the transfer, as they are still eligible after clearing the waivers, but it will be a tight dance the rest of the year. GM of Montreal Marc Bergevin he had been repeatedly explaining that their borderline situation limited their term maneuvers, but it certainly didn’t stop them from landing one of the best rentals on the market.
Frank Seravalli of TSN was the first to report that an agreement with Montreal was near.
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