With two generational talents in the offing (Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel) just four and a half months hence, the fire sale began in earnest yesterday in Buffalo.
At the heart of the deal between the Sabres and the Winnipeg Jets is injured forward Evander Kane, rehabbing from surgery on his shoulder last week. To land Kane, the Sabres sent defenseman Tyler Myers, forward Drew Stafford, prospects Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux and a first-round 2015 draft pick to Winnipeg in exchange for Kane, defenseman Zach Bogosian and goaltender Jason Kasdorf.
The Jets are hoping the additions of Myers and Stafford will help them return to Stanley Cup playoffs. The franchise hasn't been to the postseason since 2007, when they were known as the Atlanta Thrashers.
Buffalo, languishing at the bottom of the NHL standings with 35 points, is in the midst of a major rebuild. One year ago, they traded goaltender Ryan Miller and their captain Steve Ott to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for goaltender Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart and a 2015 first-round draft pick.
Wednesday they traded goaltender Jonas Enroth to the Dallas Stars for goaltender Anders Lindback and a conditional third-round pick. If Enroth wins four playoff games for Dallas, that third-round pick becomes a second-round pick in the draft.
Unlike the Edmonton Oilers, who have squandered their recent first-round draft picks in what seems to be a rebuild with no end, the Sabres have an ownership and management group that appears to be committed to winning.
Despite the issues that may have surrounded Kane recently in Winnipeg, he's being given a clean slate and new chance in western New York.
"Players have warts. The best players have warts. I can tell you the best of the very best players have warts," Sabres general manager Tim Murray told NHL.com. "But I can't talk about them. It's just what it is in the past."
This trade sends a message that should be received loud and clear in the Buffalo dressing room: The rebuild is on and the team is serious about getting better.
What does this mean for the Eastern Conference? Looking ahead to next season, the Sabres instantly got better. Will they win the Atlantic Division? No, and not by a long shot. But assuming they will draft no worse than second overall in June, the Sabres are well on their way to becoming relevant once again.
For Kane, a change of scenery often does wonders for a player of his caliber. Remember too, that Kane will not play until next season. Add to that the addition of either McDavid (compared to Sidney Crosby) or Eichel (compared to Patrick Kane), and you see can see just how good the Sabres will become.
With the Blue Jackets likely to be low-key sellers at the trade deadline, how active the rest of the Eastern Conference teams are is definitely worth watching. The club is happy with the foundation it has. A healthy Columbus roster can compete with any team on the ice. So at this point, has it become a 'wait-and-see' attitude moving forward? Considering that the Blue Jackets are likely to end up with a top-10 draft pick in arguably the deepest draft class in years, next season should be very interesting.
The Blue Jackets return to action Friday as they host the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. Catch the FOX Sports Ohio pregame show "Blue Jackets LIVE" beginning at 6:30 p.m.
