The Sabres still need another top-six winger and should call the Ducks because of it.
The Buffalo Sabres made a significant move on Friday. They traded top prospect Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Ryan McLeod and Ty Tullio. With this move, the Sabres have secured their much-needed 3C but also gave up a big-time prospect in the process.
It is clear that the Sabres are looking to improve their roster immediately. It is understandable, as their playoff drought extended to 13 years this past season, and they are long overdue to change that. While GM Kevyn Adams has brought in some solid players this offseason, like McLeod, Jason Zucker, Sam Lafferty, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, he still has not added a true top-six winger.
Unfortunately for the Sabres, the majority of this year's top free-agent wingers have already found their new homes. Thus, if the Sabres want to land a top-six winger before the start of the season, they will need to go through the trade market. The Anaheim Ducks have an excellent one in Frank Vatrano.
Frank Vatrano
Vatrano is one of the top forwards who could find a new home before the start of the 2024-25 season. He generated a lot of buzz leading up to the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, but the Ducks elected not to move him. This could change this summer if they get the right kind of offer, however.
When looking at Vatrano's 2023-24 season, it is fair to say that he would give the Sabres a big boost. In 82 games for Anaheim, he had 37 goals, 23, and 60 points, all new career highs. He took his game to a new level and could do this again, playing with stars like Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Alex Tuch in Buffalo.
The Sabres also have a deep prospect pool, so the rebuilding Ducks could view them as a solid potential trading partner. On paper, they look like a possible good match for a Vatrano move, but we will need to wait and see if the Sabres make a push for him from here. They have been previously connected to him.
