Sabres Ship Gaustad to Nashville

The Sabres up until 15 minutes before the trade deadline Monday were silent. It looked as if management was going to let the team be. They weren't going to be buyers or sellers.

That all changed when they announced the trading of Paul Gaustad along with a 4th round pick to Nashville for this year's first round pick.

The followed that up minutes later when they announced they had traded their young forward Zack Kassian and defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani to Vancouver for 2008 tenth overall pick Cody Hodgson and defenseman Alexander Sulzer.

Hodgson, a highly regarded young center will look to bring a much needed void to the position of Buffalo's roster.

I recently spoke with Queen City Sports writer Michael Bundt about the Sabres' deadline deals. The interview in it's entirety is transcribed below.

Q: What were your thoughts with about 20 minutes to go until deadline and the Sabres were yet to have made a move?

A: With 20 minutes left, I was just wondering, are the Sabres going to do anything? There was so much hype entering the trade deadline about whether the Sabres were going to buy or sell but at that present moment, they weren’t doing anything. I was just anxious and hoping that something was going to happen soon.

Q: Do you feel shipping center Paul Gaustad will hurt or help in the long run?

A: Trading Gaustad wasn’t really that big of a move in my opinion. In the long run, it won’t help or hurt Buffalo that much. It’s what the Sabres do with the first round pick that they receive from Nashville that will determine if the trade was worth it. Short term, it’s a good trade for Buffalo. By trading Gaustad, the Sabres ensured themselves that they would get something back for Gaustad since he was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Q: Many people said getting a first for Gaustad was impossible, but it was able to happen. How much credit do you give Darcy Regeir for being able to pull the deal off?

A: I give Darcy a lot of credit. He knew what the market out there was and got exactly what he wanted. Obviously, in the minds of many, Gaustad wasn’t worth a 1^st round pick but I think you have to be happy as a Sabres fan that Darcy was patient and got the pick that he wanted all along.

Q: How much have you heard of Cody Hodgson and what can Sabres fans expect not only this season but for the future?

A: Before the trade, I heard a limited amount of Hodgson but after seeing some highlights and hearing what other analysts are saying about him, Sabres fans have got to be pleased with what they’re getting. Buffalo fans can expect to get a young talented center trying to get off to a fast start in his career. Hodgson is a good set up man who can also score. He’s only 22 year old and has a ton of talent and potential. Given more chances to produce in Buffalo, Hodgson has the potential to become a very good player down the road.

Q: Will the shedding of Zack Kassian doom the Sabres down the road??

A: I don’t think it will. I liked Kassian. He was a good, young talented player, played physical at times and showed some potential. However, with Kassian, there were always questions looming about whether he had the drive to become a star. Once he left juniors to play professionally in the AHL and NHL, Kassian stopped playing with the physical edge that fans had grown accustomed to. He’s still young though. He might turn into a good player but I don’t think Buffalo will be haunted by this trade just due to the fact that they got a good young talented player back in return for Kassian.

Q: Does this trade deadline help Darcy Regeir or Lindy Ruff keep their jobs this offseason?

A: The trade deadline will have no impact on whether or not Darcy and Lindy keep their jobs after this season. What will have an impact will be whether or not the Sabres make the playoffs. Even with that being said, it’s still possible that Darcy and Lindy could keep their jobs even if they miss the playoffs. The final decision ultimately comes down to Terry Pegula, and nobody knows what type of leash he has them on.

Q: Where will the Sabres finish come playoff time?

A: The Sabres will be on the outside looking in come playoff time. There’s just too many teams fighting with the Sabres for the final playoff spot for me to believe that they’ll make it. The Sabres are currently seven points back of Washington with only one game in hand. I just can’t see them beating out all of the teams ahead of them. Can they? Most definitely. Will they? I’m leaning towards no.

*You can check Michael out on www.queencitysports.net and can follow him on twitter @mbundt11