Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen had his hands in many things before the NHL Trade Deadline, and was able to acquire four new players for his team heading into the final stretch of the season.
The Winnipeg Jets sent two defensemen Buffalo’s way in Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. He also picked up center Sam Carrick from the New York Rangers, and then in a late move, Buffalo also acquired Tanner Pearson from the Jets for a seventh-round pick.
Pearson won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings back in 2014, picking up 12 points in 24 playoff games as a rookie.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff says he’s glad to add to the mix.
"A lot of it will sort itself out. It’ll give us options, because injuries have played a big part. And to have depth, I mean, I’m the one guy that’s lived without 'D' depth, and you can never have enough good defensemen. It just makes us stronger as a team," said Ruff following practice on Friday.
Kekalainen was pleased with what was accomplished ahead of the deadline.
"We have a lot of faith in this group, the way they’ve been playing, the way they’re competing, the way they’re having fun," said Kekalainen after the trade deadline came and went at 3 p.m. "We wanted to reward the group as well to show them we have that faith, and want to help them. I think we addressed our needs, and we’re a stronger team because of it."
The Sabres acquired players that arrive to the rink in ill humor. Kekalainen noticed one thing specifically that he wanted to change.
"The one thing I’ve noticed is teams try to test us a little bit. They’ve been trying to push us around, and I think we added some elements that it’s not going to happen so easily anymore."
Mattias Samulesson joked around, saying he seems to be shrinking when it comes to the defensemen. Kekalainen says that’s on purpose.
"It’s size. I’m a big believer that the further you get into the spring, you need that size that protects the front of the net," he said. "Luke Schenn has a Stanley Cup, and he knows what it takes to go through the grind. Logan Stanley's a huge man - 6-foot-7 - the length, the size, the ability to clear the front of the net."
Kekalainen wanted to make moves, but he also wanted to respect what he’s seen from this team.
"We don’t want to disrupt something that’s going pretty well," he added. "The chemistry, they have fun together, they believe in each other, they trust each other. And you can see that. They’re just having the time of their lives, and winning is fun. But they’ve also put the work in, and they’re all realizing that it’s paying off."
Kekalainen wasn’t able to come to an agreement with the St. Louis Blues for Robert Thomas, and then Colton Parayko invoked his no-trade clause. This general manager says he will never talk about deals that were never made.
"I’ve gotten a lot of questions over the last week or so on different rumors, and I never comment on them," Kekalainen said. "I don’t comment on any unfinished business, but Buffalo’s a great city. It’s disappointing to see somebody thinking it had something to do with the City of Buffalo. I’ve been here since June, and loved every second of it. We have a great hockey team that’s winning games, and the City of Buffalo deserves a lot of respect now."
Of course the topic of Alex Tuch’s contract came up. Kekalainen says there’s still plenty of time to get a deal done.
"I’m not concerned at all," he said. "I think we’ve had some productive talks with him and expressed our desire to sign him, and will continue to do that.
"I told his agent that we’re not going to make our team weaker, and if we don’t get a deal done by the trade deadline, we aren’t trading him. And we didn’t, because we want to strengthen our team and not make it weaker. And Alex is obviously a huge part of it, so now we’re going to continue those talks. Hopefully we'll get a deal done before July 1."
Rasmus Dahlin admits has already been on his phone to watch highlights of his new teammates.
"Super excited to have them as new teammates," the Sabres captain said. "They’re going to be a huge part of our team, so I can’t wait."
So what did Dahlin see when he was watching highlights?
"Pretty tough guys," he said. "I like what I saw, and they can play with the puck too. They know how to play fast-paced hockey, and they’re going to fit like a glove on our team."
Stanley is 6-foot-7 and weighs 231 pounds, and Dahlin says some things he saw surprised him.
"What I was most amazed about was that big of a D-man, he’s obviously super tough. Everybody knows that, but he can play," he said. "He can play with the puck, he can score goals. He can do it all."
Many of the Sabres have never been in a playoff run. Schenn is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Dahlin knows guys like that are invaluable.
"It’s exactly what we need," he said. "We need somebody with experience, and he’s probably going to have a big voice in this locker room. I’m very excited to talk to him, learn some things, and this is a perfect fit for us."
The NHL is unique with how quickly new players adapt in new surroundings.
"We have a lot of great leaders in this locker room that are willing to welcome new guys," Dahlin said. "We’re just a big bunch of brothers that are welcoming anybody that wants to be a part of it."
Kekalainen has already gotten a sense of what Western New York is all about. He really enjoyed how the fans greeted Tage Thompson and the team, in general, against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
"I got goose bums that night. It was an unbelievable, electric atmosphere," Kekalainen said. "It just goes to show you what a passionate hockey market this is. I can see how much passion people in Buffalo have for hockey, and to me, that’s great. My life revolves around hockey 24/7, and I live and breathe it. But to see the people and how much knowledge they have and how much they love the game."
Kekalainen also gave an update on forward Jiri Kulich on Friday, and it wasn’t good news.
"Most likely he’ll be out for the season," Kekalainen said. "He’s continuing to get treatment, and our main concern is his well-being and long-term health."
Ruff expects to maybe have Carrick in the lineup Saturday against the Nashville Predators.
Join Brian Koziol for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 4:30 p.m. when you’ll hear from Kekalainen, Ruff, and Dahlin.
Related
