NHL Trade Rumors: Buffalo Sabres and Teams That Must Make a Move

The Buffalo Sabres are one of several NHL teams that have to make a trade to either make the playoffs or make a deep run to the Stanley Cup Final.

The trading deadline is February 27, and the time is now for teams to decide whether they want to make an aggressive run this season or be sellers at the deadline and set their roster up for next year.

Let's look at three teams that need to make a trade to improve their roster heading toward the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

After learning that winger Jordan Staal will be out for 4-6 weeks with a knee injury, the Pittsburgh Penguins must make a trade or they could miss the playoffs entirely.

With Sidney Crosby yet to return to the ice because of concussion problems, the Penguins don't have enough talent to win the Atlantic division or finish among the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference.

Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla could be a target for the Penguins, but the decision to acquire him could come down to parting ways with top prospects, or even proven NHL talent like James Neal.

The Penguins have to make a move or they won't advance past the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Philadelphia Flyers

The loss of defenseman and captain Chris Pronger is something the Philadelphia Flyers have yet to address, and making a trade for another blueliner is a must if the franchise wants to get back to the Stanley Cup Final.

While star defensemen like Shea Weber and Ryan Suter of the Nashville Predators are exciting options for fans to think about, a veteran player such as Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes is a more realistic option for the Flyers.

Gleason would provide the Flyers with an experienced defenseman who excels in his own end and wouldn't be fazed with the pressure of playing playoff hockey in Philadelphia.

Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres currently have 41 points and are five behind the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

As their roster currently looks, they won't make the playoffs unless they make a trade.

What could they do? Well, trading Derek Roy is an option.

Roy won't let the trade rumors bother him, but it's clear he is not performing to the level he is capable of this season.

He has scored just eight goals this season, which isn't good enough for a Sabres team that ranks 23rd in the league in goals scored per game.

The Sabres need to find a player that is more reliable in terms of goal scoring, and trading Roy to find that player would be a smart idea.

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