NHL insider reports Erik Johnson trade away from Buffalo Sabres being worked on

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Mar 03, 2024 20:31 GMT

Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams is fielding increasing inquiries about one of his pending unrestricted free agents, defenseman Erik Johnson. In a conversation with Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News on Saturday, Adams revealed a recent surge in interest surrounding Johnson.

“Even the last 48 hours, I’ve received more phone calls about Erik than I did leading up to this point,” Adams said.

Erik Johnson, who is good at penalty-killing, shot-blocking abilities and leadership qualities, has attracted attention akin to his teammates Chris Tanev and Ilya Lyubushkin.

Johnson's performance hasn't met expectations since joining the Sabres on a one-year, $3.25 million contract last July. Despite contributing to Buffalo's improved penalty kill, his impact during 5-on-5 play hasn't matched the team's expectations.

However, NHL insider Lance Lysowski predicted Johnson's chances:

"The on-ice struggles won’t deter teams from taking a chance on Johnson. He has the intangibles that playoff-bound teams want on their roster."

At 35, Erik Johnson faces uncertainty as the trade deadline on March 8 draws near. Reflecting on his situation, he said:

“I would say I’ve never been in this situation before at the deadline, so it is anxious a little bit. There’s a lot of uncertainty and doubt. I’m disappointed that we are where we are, and I take some responsibility for that. I don’t think I’ve really helped these guys enough as I should have, so I blame myself first and foremost.

“If Kevyn comes to me, and that’s what he wants to do, and that’s what’s the best for the team, then I’ll go for it and get moved. But, for right now, I’m taking it day by day, focusing on the team and the guys and coming in and working on and helping them any way I can. When that time comes, we’ll come to talk about it. Day by day, we’ll see what happens.”

As trade discussions intensify, Erik Johnson's fate and tenure with the Buffalo Sabres hang in the balance, with both player and management facing uncertainty leading up to the deadline.

Days after dropping Erik Johnson out of lineup, Sabres secure 7-2 win over Knights

Amid a resurgence, left winger Jeff Skinner remains optimistic about the Buffalo Sabres' playoff chances. Following a dominant 7-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, Skinner, with his 20th goal of the season, said:

"For us, we keep moving forward. We got another game (Sunday night). And we try and keep the good things in our game going."

Dylan Cozens sealed the win with two short-handed goals, displaying the team's momentum. Despite early-season struggles, The Sabres' recent success brings hope, yet they remain 10 points out of playoff contention.

The Sabres look ahead to facing Winnipeg next.