After being MIA since the draft, the Sabres have finally made an offseason move on Friday. Sabres General Manager, Jason Botterill, was able to take advantage of the Vegas Golden Knights needing to get under the $81.5 million salary cap — sending a 2nd round pick in 2021 and 5th round pick in 2022 to the Vegas Golden Knights for defenseman Colin Miller.
Miller, who was under contract in Vegas for three more years at $3.857 million, had 29 points (3 goals, 26 assists) in 65 games this past season — a step down from the 2017-18 season where he had a career-best 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists).
Miller was traded to the Boston Bruins by the Los Angeles Kings with Martin Jones and Los Angeles’ 1st round pick (Jakub Zboril) in 2015 NHL Draft for Milan Lucic. Then, he was claimed by Vegas from Boston in Expansion Draft in 2017. He has played a total of 250 NHL games and has 99 career points (22 goals, 77 assists).
Miller is a strong, young defenseman who should immediately slot into the Buffalo’s top four on the blue line. The move does make a Rasmus Ristolainen trade more appropriate, but it also could be a move to just strengthen the defense.