The Buffalo Sabres are rumored to be pushing away a defenseman. Buffalo is looking to trade Henri Jokiharju, per The Fourth Period. Jokiharju is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Buffalo has been in talks about moving several players before the NHL trade deadline. The deadline is Friday March 7. Jokiharju apparently would love to go to a team that’s a contender for the postseason.
The defenseman has six points on the season, split between three goals and assists apiece. He’s appeared in 42 games for lowly Buffalo. Jokiharju does have a solid plus-minus at +6, which has to lift his trade stock. He’s been scratched for several games this year.
The Sabres hold a 24-29-6 record in the Eastern Conference. Buffalo is last in the Atlantic Division. The club’s lost three games in a row after dropping a contest in overtime Monday to Montreal.
The Sabres are feeling blue this NHL season
The Sabres are struggling on the ice this year. Buffalo’s defense has allowed 202 goals, the second most in the Atlantic Division. Only Montreal has allowed more. The club has 54 total points and the season is slipping away with each passing game.
Due to this play, the Sabres are looking to sell before Friday’s deadline. Buffalo is shopping not just Jokiharju but also Dylan Cozens, Bowen Byram and Jason Zucker, per the outlet.
Jokiharju has been in Buffalo since the 2019-2020 campaign. He also spent a year with the Chicago Blackhawks in his NHL career. The defenseman has 93 total points, while appearing in 389 games.
The defenseman’s best season in western New York was actually just last year. Jokiharju posted 20 points and finished the season with a plus-minus of +14. He also posted his first game winning goal of his career.
Jokiharju is from Finland. He’s represented the country in the World Championships and the World Junior Championships. The defenseman was drafted in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks. He was traded to Buffalo from Chicago in 2019.
The Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals and the Blackhawks are all possible destinations for Jokiharju, per Sabre Noise. Other teams may also come into play if the defenseman is truly headed out the door.
The Sabres try to snap their losing streak when they face the San Jose Sharks Tuesday night. The puck drops at 7:00 ET.
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