Rasmus Dahlin (Sergei Beski, USA TODAY Images)
Certainly, the Canucks got a king’s ransom for Hughes. Getting not one, but two high-end youngsters, NHL-caliber center Marco Rossi, *and* a first-round pick is a good deal for Vancouver executives Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford. But as far as Dahlin is concerned, we think he’s tired of continuing to lose in Buffalo. And the Sabers hasn’t done much positive this year, so presumably he’s unhappy like Hughes was in Vancouver.
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But there’s no doubt that Sabers general manager Kevyn Adams needs to work with Dahlin to find a new team to play for. And even then, with Dahlin holding all the cards with a no-move clause in his contract, you might find a team taking over for Dahlin that is still giving up draft picks and prospects.
And that’s the direction the Sabers are headed — yes, again, outside of the Stanley Cup Playoffs — so you can’t blame Dahlin for possibly wanting to retire. Other star players could have asked to leave Buffalo much sooner, but like Hughes, Dahlin is trying his best, but just like Hughes, Dahlin isn’t getting the results he wants. Hughes tried to make it work in Vancouver, but he couldn’t do all the work himself. The same goes for Dahlin.
The Sabers are plummeting in the standings, but weigh in – is it time to blow things up in Buffalo?
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And now, as NHL general managers go looking for a better defenseman, the Sabers should see what they can get for Dahlin. Adams could also explore a trade for youngster Owen Power, but he’s having a rough year and wouldn’t get Buffalo as much as they would if they chose to trade Dahlin.
We’re not saying a Dahlin trade is imminent. He might want to stay in Buffalo and get this team on the right track. However, the Sabers are losing all these games with Dahlin, so why shouldn’t they explore the market for a Dahlin trade? If Buffalo misses the playoffs for the 15th straight season, all bets are off when it comes to untouchable players.
The deal for Hughes shows you what you can acquire if you are determined enough and smart enough to make it work. Wild general manager Bill Guerin deserves credit for going all-in on Hughes, and a Minnesota defense corps that includes Hughes and Brock Faber is almost too good to be true.
The Slumping Sabers Should Trade This Goaltender ASAP
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But the Hughes deal proves that any team can choose to trade a high-profile player — and that means the Sabers should prepare for life after Dahlin. He invested his time, and it still didn’t work. So it’s time to move on, for the sake of Dahlin and the Sabers as well.
