BUFFALO BRINGS BACK FAMILIAR TALLINDER
The Buffalo Sabres acquired defenseman Henrik Tallinder from the New Jersey Devils for winger Riley Boychuk.
What does it give the Buffalo Sabres
This move seems to be all about leadership and veteran stability for the Sabres. It's costing them almost $3 million extra in cap space to add the declining Tallinder, but he spent most of his early career playing in Buffalo and can give the mostly-young Sabres blueline core some needed guidance and dependability. He might not play every game but Tallinder is still a solid stay-at-home defenseman who can help Buffalo win hockey games.
What does it give the New Jersey Devils
This deal makes a lot of sense for the Devils, who scratched the aging Tallinder fairly regularly last season. By moving him they save almost $3 million in salary cap space, and this deal also opens up more playing time for some of the Devils' more promising younger d-men (such as {P Alexander Urbom}, {P Eric Gelinas}, and {P Brandon Burlon}). Boychuk didn't stand out last season in the Central Hockey League, and is little more than a body added.
Fantasy impact
Tallinder is too old, declining, and unproductive statistically to be considered a fantasy option at this point, and Boychuk has no fantasy value whatsoever.
