Buffalo traded veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the Philadelphia Flyers for the Flyers first-round pick in the draft. Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres launched their offseason overhaul Friday by trading veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Buffalo acquired fifth-year defenseman Robert Hagg and the Flyers first-round pick, 14th overall, in a trade struck hours before the Sabres were scheduled to select first in the NHL draft. The acquired pick from Philadelphia is actually 13th in the draft order after the NHL stripped the Arizona Coyotes of their first-round pick, 11th overall, for testing players in violation of NHL combine policy.
Buffalo also acquired Philadelphia’s second-round pick in the 2023 draft.
The trade could be the first of several made by general manager Kevyn Adams, who is also shopping captain Jack Eichel and forward Sam Reinhart.
Each of the three players raised questions about their futures in Buffalo in May after the Sabres finished last in the standings for the fourth time in eight years and extended their playoff drought to an NHL record-matching 10th season.
RANGERS: New York are buying out the player it paid to go away and giving the money saved to a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion they hope will improve team chemistry on and off the ice.
The Rangers put defenseman Tony DeAngelo on unconditional waivers for the purposes of buying out the final year of his contract. Hours earlier, they introduced new forward Barclay Goodrow after he signed a $21.6 million contract.
Buying out DeAngelo and bringing in Goodrow are two more steps by new president and general manager Chris Drury to put his stamp on a team that has been criticized for not being tough to play against.
BLACKHAWKS-BLUE JACKETS TRADE: Seth Jones is now with the Chicago Blackhawks and could become the organization’s cornerstone on the blue line.
Chicago acquired the star defenseman from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a blockbuster trade just before the NHL draft began. The Blackhawks got Jones and the 32nd pick in the draft and a 2022 sixth-rounder from the Blue Jackets for younger defenseman Adam Boqvist, the 12th and 44th picks in the draft and a 2022 first-rounder.
Jones agreed to terms on a $76 million, eight-year extension that carries a $9.5 million annual salary cap hit, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the extension cannot be signed until next week.
The Blackhawks acquired Seth’s brother, Caleb, last week in a trade that sent Duncan Keith to Edmonton. Caleb Jones could be a part of Chicago’s future, but Seth is expected to be the No. 1 defenseman for yeras to come.
DRAFT: Commissioner Gary Bettman said the plan is to hold the 2022 NHL draft at Bell Centre in Montreal, which is where the 2020 event was scheduled to take place before the pandemic forced the festivities online.
The 2021 draft was the second to be held virtually with team staff in their home cities. Bettman ran the draft from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.
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