In the aftermath of the Quinn Hughes trade, the Buffalo Sabres are a team that has come to light. While the Vancouver Canucks moved their former captain to the Minnesota Wild, details have emerged about the Sabres’ potential involvement in the trade.
The narrative had focused on just about every team in the NHL calling Vancouver about Hughes’ availability. The frontrunners had been the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings. The Wild eventually emerged “out of left field.”
But as insider Pierre LeBrun reported, the Sabres were among the teams closing in on Quinn Hughes. LeBrun stated the following:
The emphasis should be on the phrase “to some degree.” Of course, it makes sense as the Sabres were never really considered a frontrunner. But they were a team with the pieces that could have made the deal work.
The narrative focused on the Canucks wanting a center, a defenseman, and a first-round pick. Vancouver ended up getting that from the Wild. So, judging from that return, the Sabres could have matched that sort of package.
The issue here is that GM Kevyn Adams was unable to close the deal. Perhaps he wasn’t aggressive enough. Or, did the lack of assurances on a contract extension scare off the Sabres?
As Canucks insider Iain MacIntyre reported, Hughes’ camp did not provide teams with assurances that an extension would be forthcoming. Perhaps that was the key issue that kept the Sabres from pursuing this deal any further.
Sabres Fans Can Only Imagine What Could Have Been
The idea of landing Quinn Hughes should be something that would have Sabres fans imagining what could have been. The thought of having Rasmus Dahlin and Quinn Hughes on the same team is just too much to handle.
Adding Hughes would have elevated the Sabres’ blue line to one of the NHL’s best. Two top-tier defenseman taking turns terrorizing the opposition would have been a dream for Sabres fans. It’s certainly something that could have transformed the overall club.
But it’s worth pointing out that adding Hughes would have come at a significant cost.
Buffalo Would Have Lost Top Blue Liner in Hughes Trade
The price for Hughes included a top defenseman. Short of trading Dahlin, the best piece the Sabres could have sent to Vancouver was Bowen Byram. It’s hard to envisage the Canucks not wanting Byram.
So, Byram would have been part of the return for Hughes. Sabres fans would take that swap any day of the week. But then again, how much would losing Byram have affected Buffalo’s blue line?
The thought is that losing Byram would have been negligible given Hughes’ arrival. But that’s where things get complex. There are no assurances that Hughes would have stayed in Buffalo beyond next season.
While Byram will be a UFA in 2027, there’s a much greater chance the Sabres could keep Byram than Hughes.
Ultimately, all of this conversation is merely speculation. The Sabres didn’t get Hughes. That’s the reality. But it’s fun to envision what could have been for Buffalo. Landing Quinn Hughes could have been the move that could have catapulted the team from the cellar to the playoffs. But no one will ever know, at least not in this timeline.
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