The Buffalo Sabres have made their first trade of the off-season and agreed to trade forward Hudson Fasching to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Brandon Hickey and forward Mike Sislo.
TRADE: We've acquired defenseman Brandon Hickey from @ArizonaCoyotes in exchange for forward Hudson Fasching. pic.twitter.com/6i9L3yIYhn
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) June 14, 2018
Buffalo Sabres Trade Hudson Fasching to the Arizona Coyotes
The Sabres completed the trade today with the Coyotes. As part of this trade, Coyotes also acquired forward Mike Silso as well as defenseman Brandon Hickey in exchange for Fasching.
Key Players
In Fasching, the Coyotes get a relatively untested young forward. This season the 22-year old only played five games with Buffalo, failing to score. His NHL career stats include 20 games and just three points in total so far. Rumoured to be out of favour with general manager Jason Botterill and so primary playing in the AHL with Rochester Americans. He was originally drafted in the 4th round, 118 overall of the 2013 NHL draft by the Los Angeles Kings.
Hickey has just finished up at Boston University, recording six goals and eight assists equalling 14 points in 35 games. As the team captain, he led the Terriers to their second Hockey East championship during his tenure. The 22-year-old finished his collegiate career with 21 goals, 33 Assists for 54 points in 147 career games. Hickey was originally drafted by the Calgary Flames in the third round, 64 overall of the 2014 NHL draft. He needs to be signed by August 15th or will become a free agent.
Unlike Hickey, Mike Sislo hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2015-16 season with the New Jersey Devils. Where he played a total of 42 games over three seasons. The 30-year-old right winger had 23 goals and 47 points in 68 games for the Tuscon Roadrunners last season.
What This Means for the Future
The Coyotes hope that by acquiring Fasching, they can give him a more productive role in the team. There have been conflicting views regarding the Sabres prospect, however, the Coyotes hope to inject the Wisconsin native’s power and speed into the team. They currently lack a dependable power forward.
This search for powerful quick forwards continues as Arizona have also just announced trading defenceman Kyle Wood in exchange for San Jose Sharks prospect Adam Helewka.
OFFICIAL: #Coyotes Acquire Helewka from San Jose in Exchange for Wood https://t.co/Ok6aIPB31Q
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) June 15, 2018
The Buffalo Sabres can empathize. They are once again bottom of the league at the end of 2017-18 season. They hope that the youth and talent of Hickey will provide some relief to Sabres poor defensive combinations. But if Hickey cannot come to an agreement with the Sabres on a contract he’ll become an unrestricted free agent in August.
In Silo they aim to provide some experience, but also inject enthusiasm and grit to the team.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
