NHL Trade Rumors: 5 players Canadiens should target
By Adam Stocker
4. Cody Franson or Dmitry Kulikov
The Buffalo Sabres maybe the most interesting team heading into the deadline. General manager Tim Murray just received an extension at the beginning of the season, but the heat on his seat continues to get warmer. Head Coach Dan Bylsma’s seat is just as warm. It makes the most sense for the Sabres to be sellers at the deadline. But if they do Murray and Bylsma will have to make the playoffs, or both will be out of jobs.
The Sabres have lots of interesting players that they could look to trade. In the playoffs, you can never have enough defencemen, so the Canadiens would be smart to focus in on Cody Franson or Dmitry Kulikov. Both players would solidify the back-end of the Montreal defensive rotation.
Franson struggled to start the year, but since the calendar turned to 2017, his play has significantly improved. Kulikov has been a disappointment since the Sabres acquired him in the summer from Florida. Kulikov has missed half of the season with a injuries, but is now healthy and would be a welcomed addition to any contender.
Franson and Kulikov are both in the last season of their contracts. Franson is slightly cheaper with a cap hit of $3.3 million, while Kulikov is being paid $4.3 million. Given Buffalo’s cap situation, they could potentially retain salary to get a greater return from the Canadiens.
The Sabres would likely accept a second round pick for either player. But Murray would likely send want to send a third round pick back with either Franson or Kulikov if it means he can acquire a higher end Montreal prospect such as Mikhail Sergachev or Noah Juulsen. Montreal selected Sergachev in the first round of the 2016 draft. The Russian defenceman is averaging almost a point a game with the Windsor Spitfire of the Ontario Hockey League. In the first round of 2015 draft Montreal selected Juulsen, who has 28 points in 37 for the Everett Silvertips of Western Hockey League.