What I think and what I know about the Buffalo Sabres at the 4 Nations break

The Buffalo Sabres entered the 4 Nations break with a back-and-forth loss to the Predators that snapped the teams first four-game winning streak of the season.

Despite winning five of eight games heading into the break, the Sabres are still in last place in the Eastern Conference and 29th in the league in points percentage.

They lead the NHL in first-period goals and are fourth in five-on-five scoring, but a 13-game winless streak and an inability to close out and manage games have them staring down the possibility of a top-five draft pick.

Again.

Advertisement The next few weeks and months will be a critical time for the Sabres as they decide which direction to take this roster.

Heres what we know and think about this team a few weeks away from the trade deadline.

What I know: Jordan Greenway is going to return to Buffalos lineup after the break, and with that, his trade market will heat up.

Greenway, who turns 28 next week, is a pending unrestricted free agent with 22 games of postseason experience.

His size, two-way game and penalty killing ability will make him an attractive player at the deadline.

Injuries have limited him to just 20 games and he hasnt played since Dec.

15.

So how Greenway looks after the break will help set his market.

What I think: The Sabres should be motivated to keep Greenway.

Hes been happy in Buffalo and was one of the teams most consistent forwards early in the season before he got hurt.

If Greenway walks in free agency, the Sabres will need to find another veteran with his skill set.

Thats not impossible to do, but the Sabres have enough needs on their roster without having to create more.

Its easy to envision Greenway delivering value on his next contract, even if the Sabres gave him a four-year deal.

The injury complicated things this season, but it also may have put a dent in Greenways trade value.

The next few weeks will be important both in terms of how Greenway plays and what type of progress general manager Kevyn Adams can make with negotiations.

What I know: The Sabres will keep getting calls on their big-name players leading up to the trade deadline.

Greenway and fellow unrestricted free agent Jason Zucker will be in demand as long as they remain unsigned.

But teams wont limit their calls to those two players.

Bo Byram is a restricted free agent without a new deal.

Teams have called about Dylan Cozens, who has underperformed in the two seasons since his 68-point breakout season.

Alex Tuch is always a popular name this time of year and has only one season remaining on his contract after this one.

With the Sabres in last place in the Eastern Conference and Adams in his fifth season as general manager, teams are going to keep calling to see how desperate he is to shake up this roster.

Advertisement What I think: Adams has to be open to every deal, particularly a hockey trade like the Casey Mittelstadt for Byram move he pulled off this time last season.

But there also isnt any reason to rush these deals if the market isnt there.

Trading Cozens only makes sense if the Sabres can improve their roster immediately by moving him.

The same goes for Byram or Tuch.

All of those players are under team control, and the market of teams interested in making those types of trades will increase in the summer with a rising salary cap.

Sabres owner Terry Pegula also owes it to the fans to take a deep look into this hockey operations staff at the end of the season if not sooner.

So maybe the roster-altering trades should wait until hes firmly decided on a direction for Adams and those around him.

What I know: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen hasnt been as sharp this season as he was last season.

According to MoneyPuck, hes 57th in the NHL in goals saved above expected.

According to Natural Stat Trick, Luukkonen is 42nd in the NHL in save percentage among goalies with at least 1,000 minutes played.

What I think: The 4 Nations tournament could be an ideal opportunity for Luukkonen to find his groove.

He may not get much playing time behind Juuse Saros, but being part of Team Finland and experiencing the event should be a boost to Luukkonens confidence.

Some of the highest moments of Luukkonens career have come during international play for Finland.

The environment in Buffalo this season hasnt been ideal for a goalie.

Getting a chance to spend time around some of the best players in the league and his fellow countrymen will be a useful change of pace for Luukkonen.

What I know: Henri Jokiharju hasnt had a consistent role with the Sabres this season.

Adams re-signed Jokiharju to a one-year deal worth $3.1 million.

But hes been out of Buffalos lineup for 15 of its 54 games.

Lindy Ruff has tried to get Jokiharju to play a more physical game with mixed results.

His underlying advanced numbers have been solid for most of the season, but the pending unrestricted free agent hasnt been a big piece of the puzzle in Buffalo.

What I think: The Sabres have to be hoping Jokiharju puts together a strong 4 Nations tournament.

Hes an injury replacement for Team Finland, which could have the weakest team in the four-team field.

But Jokiharju should get steady ice time and a chance to show his value.

If Jokiharju is hoping for a change of scenery at the trade deadline, playing well this week would help improve his market.

Advertisement What I know: The Sabres were fortunate to get Tage Thompson back in the lineup as quickly as they did.

After taking a hit to the head from Stefan Noesen, Thompson missed just one game.

The fallout from that hit and the teams lack of response ended up being a bigger story than Thompsons injury.

Whats been clear whenever Thompson or defenseman Rasmus Dahlin misses time is just how valuable those two players are.

Theyre clearly Buffalos two best players and look like franchise cornerstones the Sabres can continue to build around.

What I think: The leadership questions in Buffalo will continue for the rest of the season after that hit.

The team addressed it and the players are eager to put it behind them.

The extended break should be a good chance for them to reset and get a fresh start coming back.

But as the Sabres grind through the last 29 games of another lost season, Ruff will have a chance to identify who steps up their leadership and how much the Sabres need to add leaders to their roster heading into next season.

(Photo of Jordan Greenway: Dennis Schneidler / Imagn Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.