The Buffalo Sabres have acquired ahead Michael Frolik from the Calgary Flames in change for a fourth-round decide within the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the group introduced Thursday. This transfer comes simply minutes after the Sabres traded defender Marco Scandella to the Montreal Canadiens.
The 31-year-old Frolik has scored 5 objectives and 10 factors in 38 video games up to now this season and is within the ultimate 12 months of a five-year deal that carries a $four.three million annual cap hit. With the Sabres buying Frolik on Thursday, his remaining cap hit ought to solely price the group simply over $2.1 million for the rest of the season.
Sabres Purchase Ahead Depth
In Frolik, the Sabres are getting a constant participant who can present depth-scoring and veteran management to their group.
Frolik has scored at the least 10 objectives in every of the final six seasons and is on tempo to achieve that mark once more this season with the Sabres. He has additionally produced 30-plus factors in 5 of his final six seasons, together with 16 objectives and 34 factors final season.
Frolik ought to present depth scoring for the Sabres as they appear to make the postseason for the primary time for the reason that 2010-11 season. He additionally got here on the modest worth of a fourth-round decide, the exact same decide the group acquired from the Canadiens simply minutes previous to flipping it for Frolik.
Michael Frolik, Calgary Flames (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
In shifting Scandella, the group is down one in every of their higher defenders. Nonetheless, the Sabres look like out there for much more acquisitions within the close to future based on Darren Dreger.
Scandella was additionally averaging the fewest minutes of his Sabres’ profession, skating in simply 16:36 of ice time every sport, down from 17:37 a season prior and 23:19 in his first 12 months with the group.
With 24-year-old defender Lawrence Pilut knocking on the door and seemingly able to make the bounce to the NHL full-time, the Sabres are possible banking on the truth that he can change Scandella’s minutes whereas the group seems to be to fill holes elsewhere on their roster.
Flames Shifting on From Frolik
For the Flames, Frolik was averaging simply 11:56 of ice time this season, his fifth with the group. This can be a stark drop off from the 13:22 of ice time he was averaging final season and has replicated a steady-decline in minutes that he’s seen for the reason that 2016-17 season, down from 17:05 of common ice time that season.
With a change of surroundings, Frolik will look to attain at a extra constant fee as soon as once more.
Michael Frolik, Calgary Flames (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
The Flames are having a comparatively disappointing season and discover themselves one level out of the third-place spot within the Pacific Division with two games-in-hand on the Vancouver Canucks.
Being outscored 127 to 114 on the 12 months, the Flames are going to need to resolve if they’re patrons or sellers heading into the Commerce Deadline, and this transfer appears to point the latter quite than the previous.
There’s nonetheless time for the Flames to make different strikes so as to add to their roster, particularly given how near a playoff spot they at the moment are. It appears unlikely after this Frolik commerce, nevertheless, and this may very well be simply the primary domino to fall.
