The Buffalo Sabres are making changes on the blue line. Buffalo traded defenseman Connor Clifton and the 39th pick in this year’s entry draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for blueliners Conor Timmins and Issac Belliveau on Saturday. This move follows the addition of another rearguard, Michael Kesselring from Utah, on Thursday.
The 26-year-old Timmins had 15 points in 68 games for the Penguins last season. The 22-year-old Belliveau split time between the AHL and ECHL last season. He has 7 points in 24 career AHL games.
The 30-year-old Clifton spent the last two seasons with the Sabres. He was signed as a free agent by Buffalo on July 1st, 2023, to a three-year, $9.99.million-dollar contract.
On draft day, the club also announced the signing of forward Jack Quinn to a two-year contract extension for $6.75 million ($3.375 million AAV).
General manager Kevyn Adams had explored the possibility of trading the Sabres first draft pick, 9th overall, but in the end, the pick was used to select defenseman Radim Mrtka.
“It’s just tough this time of year.” Adams said. “The way it goes, to get an impact player off a team right now for a draft pick,” Adams said. “We were having discussions close to when the pick was made, but just weren’t the deals that I felt would have made our team better, and that’s what I set out to do. If we were going to trade pick 9, it was going to help the Buffalo Sabres right now to be a better team, and that just didn’t present itself.”
Regarding the future of defenseman Bowen Byram, there has been much speculation in recent weeks concerning a potential trade. With the departure of winger JJ Peterka, the Sabres need to add a top-six forward to the roster. Adams continues to keep all options open concerning Byram
“He is an elite defenseman in the league right now,” Adams said. “It’s kind of like the situation with JJ. (Peterka) If it’s the right trade that we think helps our team, we’re definitely open to that. “In saying that, I love Bo Byram as a player and as a person, and I’d be more than fine with him being part of our D Corp. Right now, with how our D Corp looks on paper with Bo in there, I think (it) is very, very good. So if it’s the right thing and the right trade comes across, we’ll definitely be open to it. But (It’s) not something that I’m going to force.”
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