We have been taking a look at the most consequential deals in Buffalo Sabres history (using the Hockey News Archives as source material) and ranking the 15 best and the 15 worst deals in the club’s 54-year history.
This required the input of a trio of veteran media members (Dave Reichert, Randy Schultz, and Pete Weber), as well as three lifetime Sabre fans (Chuck Bender, Todd Riniolo, and Joe Schwartz).
5. June 11, 1976 – The Sabres acquire center Andre Savard from the Boston Bruins for center Peter McNab
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READ ABOUT OTHER SABRES TRADES
Best Trades In Sabres History – #7
Worst Trades In Sabres History – #7
Best Trades In Sabres History – #6
Worst Trades In Sabres History – #6
Best Trades In Sabres History – #5
After making the Stanley Cup Final in 1975, the Buffalo Sabres were expected to contend once again in 1976 but struggled in the ’76 Playoffs barely beating out the underdog St. Louis Blues with rookie goalie Ed Staniowski in the first round before losing to the NY Islanders in the quarter-finals.
GM Punch Imlach in the summer of 1976 was looking for more two-way ability up the middle with Gilbert Perreault and Don Luce as their top two offensive centers. The Sabres made a one-for-one deal with their Adams Division rival, the Boston Bruins, swapping unsigned free agent 24-year-old center Peter McNab for the also unsigned 22-year-old Andre Savard.
Savard was the sixth-overall pick in the 1972 draft and was a big scorer for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL (67 goals in his final year of junior), but settled into a more two-way role for the Bruins, scoring 16,19, and 17 goals in his first three seasons.
McNab was an NCAA product out of the University of Denver after being chosen in the sixth round of the ’72 Draft. The 6’3” 205 lb. center split time between the AHL and NHL in 1973-74 before scoring 20+ goals on the third line for the next two seasons.
Savard fulfilled his role as a solid but unspectacular defensive pivot in Buffalo over seven seasons, scoring a career-high 31 goals in 1981, but he was traded to Quebec in 1983 and finished out his career with the Nordiques, retiring in 1985.
McNab immediately became a centerpiece offensive producer for the Don Cherry-coached Bruins, beginning a string of six seasons scoring 35 goals or more. His career-best was 40 goals in 1979-80, and after eight seasons with Boston, he finished out his career with Vancouver and New Jersey before retiring with 363 career goals and 813 career points in 954 games.
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