$30 Million Buffalo Sabres Defenseman Emerges in Trade Talks Ahead of the Deadline

defenseman Mattias Samuelsson has been linked to three NHL teams in trade talks ahead of the deadline as the team becomes sellers.

Mattias Samuelsson has been underwhelming for the Sabres since signing his extension early during the 2022 season. He signed a seven-year, $30 million contract with a $4.28 million average annual cap hit.

Samuelsson has not been bad when he has played, but injuries have definitely taken a toll on his playing time. He played only 55 games in 2022, 41 in 2023, and has dressed for only 35 of Buffalo's 54 games this season.

Even though he's been cleared to play lately, nobody knows how many minutes he'll see the rest of the year. In just three years, injuries have robbed him of the equivalent of a full year of play.

Keeping this in consideration, Sabres management may believe it's time for the team to move on, and the following three trade destinations would be ideal for Samuelsson: the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers, and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Samuelsson has been linked to these three teams by NHL analyst Zackary Laware of 'Sabre Noise'. The primary motivation for moving Samuelsson is to clear cap space and shed a frequently injured defenseman.

Buffalo requires cap space flexibility to keep players such as Bowen Byram, Jacob Bryson, Dennis Gilbert, and Henri Jokiharju. As the team seeks to rebuild its defence for next year, Samuelsson seems to be the odd one out.

With just over two weeks to go until the trade deadline, phones will start ringing off the hook, likely for Samuelsson's services.

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