Sabres hope to sign one goalie prospect and may have to trade another
Paul Hamilton: Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said on WGR 550 that they will try to sign goaltending prospect Devon Levi as soon as his college season is finished.
They had wanted to sign goaltending prospect Erik Portillo this past offseason but couldn’t get a deal done. Portillo can elect to be a UFA if not signed by mid-August. If they can’t get him signed they will have to look to trade him.
Brayton J. Wilson: The Sabres could use Erik Portillo and/or Ryan Johnson as trade chips at the deadline this year.
Should the Maple Leafs be interested in Ryan O’Reilly?
Jeremy Rutherford and Jonas Siegel of The Athletic: St. Louis Blues forward Ryan O’Reilly remains out with a foot injury. He and Vladimir Tarasenko could be two of the St. Louis Blues trade chips at the deadline on March 3rd.
Pierre LeBrun listed the Toronto Maple Leafs as the team who should trade for O’Reilly.
Siegel on if the Maple Leafs really need another top-two center when they have Auston Matthews and John Tavares down the middle, “If you can add a player of O’Reilly’s caliber, a former Selke and Conn Smythe Trophy winner (and Stanley Cup champ), you find a way to make him fit.”
One option would be to move Tavares to left wing. Letting O’Reilly take the defensive role and letting Tavares and Mitch Marner focus more on the offense. Would Tavares be okay with this?
The other option is to play O’Reilly on the third line and bump center David Kampf to the fourth line. This option wouldn’t really solve the second-line left wing issue.
A third option is to keep Tavares at center on the second line and have O’Reilly on the left side.
A scout on what the Blues might ask the Maple Leafs in return for O’Reilly, a first-round pick and either Matthew Knies or Fraser Minten. can’t see the Maple Leafs including Knies. The first? Yes.
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Siegel can’t see the Leafs trading Knies for a rental. A first, a third, and a youngish player like what the Panthers paid for Claude Giroux could be a comparable.
O’Reilly may not be an ideal fit for the Leafs but they should consider it.
