The Anaheim Ducks put an end to the Trevor Zegras Saga Monday afternoon, dealing the young forward to the Philadelphia Flyers for center Ryan Poehling, the 45th pick in this year's NHL entry draft, and the Flyers' fourth-round pick in 2026. The trade was hugely underwhelming from Anaheim's perspective, as Poehling is nothing more than a fourth-line player, and the draft picks aren't in the area where the players drafted could be difference-makers anytime soon.
But from the Buffalo Sabres' perspective, this has to be seen as a lost opportunity. Was the trade something Sabres GM Kevyn Adams couldn't have outbid the Flyers for? The Sabres have more than enough salary cap space to accommodate Zegras' $5.75 million salary, and Zegras is signed for only the 2025-26 season — making the coming year a "show me" situation for Zegras.
Indeed, if Zegras doesn't live up to expectations next season, the Flyers can now walk away. And if Zegras does live up to expectations, he's still only going to be an RFA next summer, so he's under team control in a way that has to be appealing to teams.
So, tell us again why Adams couldn't have improved on Philadelphia's trade package to the Ducks. Was there not a fourth-liner Buffalo could've offered? Maybe a third-liner, instead? And certainly, the Sabres could've offered improvements on a second-round draft pick and a fourth-rounder. Buffalo has had enough draft picks in recent years, and they need more players who have Zegras' profile — proven 20-goal scorers who are intent on having a bounce-back season. Philly bought low on Zegras, and that's a very good look for Flyers GM Daniel Briere.
But not getting in on a Zegras trade is a major letdown for Buffalo. The Sabres could've added a player who could once again be a 60-point player or better, as Zegras was in two consecutive seasons from 2021-23. Instead, a rival for one of the wild card positions in the Eastern Conference wound up with the player, and Buffalo wound up holding out its hands with nothing to show for it.
Time and again, the Sabres are on the outside looking in when it comes to acquiring players who could help them get into the playoffs for the first time in a decade-and-a-half. And when you see the low price teams have paid to acquire assets like Zegras — distressed assets though they may be — you have to wonder if Buffalo's front office has some degree of acquisition paralysis.
Indeed, changing the mix of this Sabres lineup shoud be as urgent as it gets, but nothing is happening on the trade front. And there can be no excuses for Adams that he yet again was on the sidelines while his GM colleagues were getting deals done. Sooner or later, there has to be a line in the sand, and that line in the sand is all about what Sabres fans are willing to take when it comes to seeing their team stagnate.
Zegras would've been a solid acquisition for the Sabres. And if the trade didn't work out, Buffalo could've walked away from him next summer. Instead, the Flyers got better at a bargain cost, and the Sabres are still the same group that disappointed so many for so long.
You couldn't blame Sabres fans for throwing up their hands in dismay and asking, "When does the pain end?". Every trade of consequence that Buffalo doesn't participate in is another indictment of Adams and Sabres ownership. This Buffalo team can't look internally for improvement for yet another year. The time has come to empty the cupboards for draft picks and prospects in exchange for players with proven NHL experience.
There are talented players out there who can help the Sabres, but Buffalo management has to be savvy enough to acquire them. And right now, it sure appears that Sabres brass can't find the right mix of assets to improve the organization. It's a serious shame, and one that will continue as long as the Sabres are stuck watching other teams get better while they do nothing.
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