Report: Stanley Cup Champion and 1000 game veteran on the verge of being traded

The Buffalo Sabres are gearing up for back-to-back road games against their long-time rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, just ahead of the NHL trade deadline. It's crunch time, and rumors are swirling around potential trades. Not immune to the chatter is Erik Johnson, who didn't practice before the Sabres 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Trade Rumor: Buffalo Sabres Trading Erik Johnson

He's been sidelined since February 27th due to illness, and although he participated in the morning skate in Toronto, head coach Don Granato hinted at a deeper reason for his absence.

Granato didn't outright say that Johnson's sitting out is trade-related, but he did get a bit reflective when talking about the veteran's impact on the team since joining last July. According to Granato, Johnson's wealth of experience and leadership have been invaluable, especially in boosting the team's confidence on the penalty kill.



Throughout the season, he's notched three points, all goals, along with 93 hits and 68 blocks in 50 games. When he's in the lineup, the 17 year-veteran and 2022 Stanley Cup champion with Colorado, usually slots in on the third pairing, bringing some solid defensive presence to the ice.

It's a tense time for Sabres fans, but also an exciting one as we wait to see how it all unfolds before the trade deadline buzzer sounds.