The Buffalo Sabres are reportedly willing to deal almost any player from their roster if it helps the team improve, and one veteran who could be on the move before the March 5 NHL trade deadline is Christian Ehrhoff.
The 31-year-old defenseman was recently asked to submit a list of teams he would not accept a trade to, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
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Ehrhoff is a talented offensive defenseman with a powerful shot from the point, the ability to quarterback a power play, good playmaking skills and 73 games of playoff experience. He ranks third on the Sabres in scoring with 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) in 56 games.
The one concern for teams interested in acquiring Ehrhoff is his contract, which doesn’t expire until after the 2020-21 season, at which time he will be 38 years old. With that said, Ehrhoff’s deal has a team-friendly $4 million salary cap hit and about half of the $40 million in total salary has already been paid because it was front-loaded.
The Sabres (17-34-8) are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and trading a top-four defenseman like Ehrhoff would allow them to acquire draft picks and/or prospects for their ongoing rebuild.
