27-year-old center has played six NHL seasons for Nashville and Colorado
The Buffalo Sabres face a season where accountability will be stressed under head coach Lindy Ruff and areas of need will have to be addressed by GM Kevyn Adams for the club to snap their 13-year playoff drought. We have been taking a look at players who could be potential trade targets this summer over the last few weeks in advance of a year that has to be considered playoffs or bust, but now we will take a look at who the Sabres could potentially be pursuing when the free agent market opens up on July 1.
Buffalo is not likely to pursue big-ticket players like Jake Guentzel or Elias Lindholm, as they will be pursuing long-term big-money contracts, but they will be looking for role players with size and two-way ability that can be signed for a lesser term and cap hit.
Yakov Trenin – Center (Nashville Predators / Colorado Avalanche)
Stats: 17 points (12 G, 5 A) in 76 games, 1 point (1 G, 0 A) in 10 playoff games
2023-24 Salary - $1.7 Million
Along the lines of the Sabres looking to add bigger, tougher, and more versatile forwards to play roles in their bottom six, big forward Trenin would be an intriguing acquisition. The 27-year-old is not an offensive dynamo, but the type of depth sandpaper that Buffalo needs to take the next step in a division that includes Boston, Florida, Tampa Bay, and Toronto.
Trenin was a 2015 second-round pick of the Nashville Predators after leaving Russia to play in the QMJHL. After two more years in Gatineau and three seasons in the AHL, the 6’2”, 201 lb. forward made his NHL debut in 2020 and became a full time in 2021.
In his last three seasons, Trenin has scored in double figures with Nashville and Colorado, which made him an attractive get as a rental at the trade deadline after the Preds could not get him extended. With the wave towards players with size and his ability to play center, the market for Trenin could be brisk, but his age may have teams willing to give him a four or five-year deal.
