Report card grades for all 31 NHL teams at the trade deadline

Buffalo Sabres: F

General Manager Jason Botterill entered the trade deadline with one of the top forward assets on the market in Evander Kane. The return on the Kane trade was underwhelming to many, considering what some of the other forwards got. The Sabres were able to add a conditional first-round pick in 2019, a fourth-round pick in 2020 and prospect Dan O’ Regan. The return was disappointing, but Kane is a player with baggage. He has had multiple off-ice incidents and has shown inconsistencies on the ice.

An almost bigger story in Buffalo is what was not traded. In a lost season for the Sabres, fans were hoping to see as many impending free agents traded as possible. Benoit Pouliot and Josh Gorges are both pending unrestricted free agents who should have had some trade value, while Robin Lehner was one of the top goalies available on the market.

Going forward, the Sabres have tough decisions to make as they look to get back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Botterill will have a lot of options this summer, whether it’s trading at the draft or spending big in free agency. Either way, the Sabres need to take the next step; they cannot afford to waste another year of star Jack Eichel’s career. The lack of return on Kane and the inability to move their impending free agents earned the Sabres a failing grade.