Won’t be easy for the Sabres to move Berglund
Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News: The Buffalo Sabres suspended forward Patrik Berglund over the weekend for failing to report.
Berglund was going to be a healthy scratch and didn’t travel with the team when they left on Friday for Washington.
Harrington notes “If he doesn’t want to be here, he’s not needed,” and if he were the GM he’d be looking to get Berglund out of Buffalo for anything.
Elliotte Friedman noted on the weekend that Berglund had a modified no-trade clause when the Blues traded him to Buffalo but he and his agent missed the deadline.
He has three years left on his contract at $3.85 million. His play this season and cap hit put his trade value at close to “nil.” The Sabres would likely have to retain salary if they want to move him.
Crazy Sabres proposals
Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News: Sportsnet had a column that listed the Sabres as a potential landing spot for Blue defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
Going the other way in the ‘proposal’ was Conor Sheary, Marco Scandella, Lawrence Pilut and a the Blues 2019 first-round pick that they sent to the Sabres in the Ryan O’Reilly trade. The Blues would also receive defenseman Robert Bortuzzo.
It doesn’t make much sense for the Sabres to send that package with the 29-year old Pietrangelo being an unrestricted free agent after next season.
The Hockey News had a podcast that suggested the Sabres should go after Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Kane. They talked about sending the Blackhawks Sam Reinhart, Jason Pominville, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Brendan Guhle, Victor Olofsson and three first-round draft picks.