Buffalo acquired Timmins from the Penguins on draft day in something of a salary dump, sending older, more expensive righty Connor Clifton to Pittsburgh. The Sabres were his third team in a few months after beginning the season with the Maple Leafs, where the offensive-minded righty only had eight points in 51 games. He was then traded to the Penguins at the deadline as the Leafs freed up roster space to make other pickups, notably Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton.
General manager Kevyn Adams said when Buffalo picked him that he’s a player they’ve had their eyes on for a while. Timmins could be in line for an increased role in Buffalo with only Michael Kesselring alongside him as a right-shot defenseman on their projected active roster, and because of that, he’s likely looking for more than what the Sabres are currently willing to offer. The 2017 No. 32 overall pick has 46 points in 159 career NHL games with the Avalanche, Coyotes, Maple Leafs, and Penguins.
- Things are similarly quiet with the Maple Leafs as they continue to shop veteran forward Calle Järnkrok to clear cap space, Pagnotta said. There haven’t been any teams linked to him as “the market hasn’t been vibrant,” Pagnotta wrote, but Toronto continues to make clear he’s available as they eye other moves to help fill the Mitch Marner void. While he only has one year left on his deal, they’re inhibited by Järnkrok’s 10-team no-trade list and the fact that he’s only played in 71 out of a possible 164 games (43.3%) over the last two seasons due to various injuries. He had one goal and seven points in 19 games last season after recovering from sports hernia surgery.