Buffalo Sabres trade Chase Priskie to Anaheim Ducks for Austin Strand
The Buffalo Sabres announced an under-the-radar deadline-day deal with the Anaheim Ducks as the teams swapped Chase Priskie for Austin Strand.
Priskie signed for the Sabres last summer but did not appear for the NHL club, spending the duration of his time with the organization playing for the AHL Rochester Americans. The 26-year-old defenseman last played in the NHL for the Florida Panthers in 2020-2021.
The straight swap will bring Strand to the Sabres as they try to close a four-point gap on the East’s last wild card spot. Strand, 26, is on a two-way contract and has appeared in four games for the Ducks this season. He appeared in 21 games for the Los Angeles Kings from 2020 to 2022.
The trade took place mere minutes after Buffalo acquired left winger Jordan Greenway from the Minnesota Wild in a separate deal.
The Sabres have a chance to end the longest playoff drought (11 seasons) in NHL history this year. They trail the New York Islanders by four points but have played 4 fewer games. Buffalo’s task will not be simple, though; they have the third most difficult remaining schedule in the NHL and will not play a below-.500 team until they meet the Philadelphia Flyers on March 17.
The Ducks, meanwhile, are far out of playoff contention and have their eyes set on a loaded draft class as the NHL’s joint third-worst team. Anaheim will host the Montreal Canadiens tonight at 10 pm ET, while the Sabres resume their playoff hunt at home against the Lightning tomorrow afternoon.
