The Buffalo Sabres made a blockbuster trade on Tuesday, sending Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks. They now have two picks in Friday's first round: 4th overall and 20th overall. They also traded away Michael Kesselring, so they need a defenseman. The Sabres' next move must be for a defenseman, and New York Islanders veteran Adam Pelech would be the perfect fit.
Jarmo Kekalainen took over from Kevyn Adams as the Sabres' general manager in the middle of the 2025-26 season. The biggest move he made was trading for defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets. Those players represent what Kekalainen wants behind Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, and it is what Pelech provides.
Pelech does not have the same size as Stanley or Schenn, but he is a responsible, veteran defenseman whom the coach does not have to worry about. A former All-Star, he was vital to the Islanders' consecutive Conference Final runs at the beginning of the decade. The Sabres adding him to their second pair would be a great addition to the team.
The question is price, and Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche should run a hard bargain. The 20th overall pick should be the centerpiece, and that would be a fair trade for Buffalo. Is trading away Kesselring and Byram for Pelech and the 4th overall pick, likely a defenseman, a result that makes sense for the Sabres? It would both make them better now, replacing Kesselring after a disappointing season, and set up their prospect pipeline.
Why would the Islanders trade Adam Pelech to the Sabres?
The Islanders collapsed at the end of the season, ruining a great chance to make the playoffs in Matthew Schaefer's rookie year. Pelech was one of the consistent pieces throughout the season, and the team will have high expectations next year. But the Islanders have a logjam of left-handed defensemen and can part with the veteran for the right trade.
The Islanders traded a first-round pick for Brayden Schenn at the trade deadline. While they have expectations for next year, they still need to rebuild what was a depleted trade deadline. They got better on defense after trading Noah Dobson, mostly because of Schaefer's arrival, but they can still improve without Pelech.
Trading Pelech to the Sabres would answer a lot of questions for the Islanders. They'd get another pick in the first round to rebuild the pipeline, they would clear a roster space for Alexander Romanov coming off an injury, and they would clear up some cap space for other trades.
If the Sabres make this trade, they would not be in the market for Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars. Could that be a trade the Islanders make after dealing Pelech? It would answer one of their biggest questions, as their powerplay was dreadful for most of last season.
The Sabres need a defenseman now, and the Islanders have one that could push Buffalo to another level. These two teams have not been frequent trade partners, but a deal that works for both of these teams is easy to find. Could Pelech be headed to Buffalo to continue an underrated career as a shutdown defenseman? Or will the Sabres make a play for Robertson?
The first round of the NHL Draft is on Friday night, and Buffalo picks at 4 and 20, for now.
