PITTSBURGH — This is a different trade deadline for the Buffalo Sabres.
The last two seasons, the anxiety around the group was palpable. The playoffs had already slipped out of reach by March, and the team was more intent on selling players than acquiring new ones. That’s what led to an emotional scene at the team’s hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last March when Dylan Cozens was traded as part of the deal that brought Josh Norris to Buffalo.
The feeling now is entirely different. For starters, the team has won five straight after beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Thursday night. The Sabres have the best record in the NHL since Dec. 9 and are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Sabres have a 97 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s model. This five-game winning streak coming out of the Olympic break has put them on the radar as a team that could make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
That’s why Jarmo Kekäläinen, who took over as the team’s general manager in December, has been behaving like an aggressive buyer with the NHL trade deadline coming up at 3 p.m. Friday. Earlier this week, the Sabres were in trade talks with the St. Louis Blues for 26-year-old center Robert Thomas, arguably the best player on the trade market. That deal didn’t get to the finish line. But Wednesday, shortly after the Sabres landed in Pittsburgh, the team had a deal in place to trade for Blues defenseman Colton Parayko. Parayko ended up deciding not to waive his no-trade clause, so the deal didn’t go through.
But the Sabres’ involvement in these types of trade talks is further confirmation that Kekäläinen believes Buffalo is entering a window of contention and is acting accordingly. And the players in the locker room love it.
Standing in the visiting dressing room at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday morning, Sabres alternate captain Alex Tuch grinned when asked about how the group is handling the trade rumors as a contending team as opposed to one that is selling.
“Just f—ing enjoy it,” he said. “It’s exciting. We’ve worked so hard to get to this point. With everything up in the air, I think management is trying to reward us for how hard we’ve worked and how well we’ve played to this point. That’s something you have to take pride in. We just keep playing, but the fact that we’re in on these guys is a boost to morale and gives you a lot of confidence. It’s good for the locker room no matter what happens. If we do end up getting a guy or two, I think it’s going to help our team and boost our confidence even more.”
Tuch was in Vegas early in his career when the Golden Knights made an in-season trade for Mark Stone. He clearly remembers the vibe in the locker room.
“It was like, ‘Holy s—, we just got Mark Stone,’” Tuch said. “We were jacked up.”
Tuch made these comments before news broke about Parayko invoking his no-trade clause. But it’s clear there’s a buzz in Buffalo’s dressing room. The question now is how many new players will end up in the room. After the game against Pittsburgh, the Sabres agreed to a trade that sent Isak Rosen, Jacob Bryson, a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick to Winnipeg for veteran defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn. They also sent a third- and a sixth-round pick to the Rangers for veteran forward Sam Carrick. And Kekäläinen might not be done.
“There’s a lot of moving parts, but it’s a lot of fun,” Tuch said. “You’re looking at Twitter seeing some speculation. It’s good conversation and a good time with the guys. We were playing poker yesterday and saw, ‘Oh, we might get him.’ It’s just a lot of fun.”
Alex Tuch and his teammates are reveling in the experience of being buyers at the deadline. (Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)
Tuch is going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. A few months ago, some wondered if he’d be on the move at the deadline. And while there hasn’t been much progress toward an extension, Tuch doesn’t have to worry about getting traded Friday. He also isn’t sweating the contract talks. He said he’s open to continuing negotiations through the end of the season but hasn’t found it difficult to stay in the moment given the way the Sabres are playing.
“I’m enjoying each and every day and enjoying the guys,” Tuch said. “I love playing for this team, I love playing with these guys, and I love winning hockey games. It makes it that much more fun to do it and be part of a group that is winning. The sky is the limit for our group. I think we can surprise a lot of teams.”
Kekäläinen comes with a well-established reputation as being willing to make bold and aggressive moves when the situation calls for it. And the way the Sabres are playing, this is exactly that type of situation. That’s why Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin thinks Buffalo is an easy sell to any players who, like Parayko, have a no-trade clause.
“Because we’re a good team,” Dahlin said. “We’re winning right now, and we’re playing fun hockey. And Buffalo is a hell of a city. I love it, and all the guys in the locker room love to be here.”
This team didn’t play as if it was too worried about Parayko’s decision. Ryan McLeod had his fifth short-handed goal of the season, while Tuch and Owen Power stayed hot with goals of their own. They also got another strong game from Norris, who had a goal and an assist. He joined the Sabres at this time last year, and it was emotional for him to leave his longtime teammates in Ottawa.
Now?
“The most fun I’ve ever had playing hockey,” Norris said after the game. “We get to listen to music on the plane after, always makes it a little bit better going home after a win. It’s hard to describe, really. It’s such a fun group and authentic and just guys being themselves, really. You can’t really ask for much more. It’s been a lot of fun.”