One day after it was announced that Jack Eichel signed an 8-year/$80 million contract extension, the Sabres made a trade with the Montreal Canadiens.
The team parted with enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers in exchange for defenseman Zach Redmond. In a corresponding move following the trade, the Sabres have sent Redmond down to Rochester.
Prior to the transaction, Redmond spent time in both St. Johns and Montreal last season. In 26 games played as a member of the Ice Caps, Redmond scored four goals and tallied total of 18 points, along with five assists in 16 games for the Canadiens.
The 29-year-old defenseman has been a constant presence in the minor league since the 2011-12 season, playing in 190 career games and earning 100 points with the Chicago Wolves, San Antonio Rampage and St. John’s IceCaps. During his time in the NHL, he’s played 130 games between the Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens and has amassed 38 career points.
By making a trade for another defenseman, general manager Jason Botterill has continued to build depth on the blue line, which he has done all offseason in both Buffalo and Rochester since being hired in May.
As a result of Justin Falk being placed on injured reserve, (and with Zach Bogosian and Marco Scandella battling injuries), Redmond is a depth acquisition who could be a potential call-up as the season progresses.
After claiming Jordan Nolan off waivers last week from Los Angeles, it was likely Deslauriers would not be on the Sabres roster. A contributor on defense during his career, Redmond can make an impact throughout the season in Rochester and help to bolster the blue line at both the NHL and AHL level.