Sabres Sign Alexander Sulzer to One-Year Extension

The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they have signed defenseman Alexander Sulzer to a one-year contract extension worth $725,000.  He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer.  He was acquired by the Sabres on February 27 from the Vancouver Canucks along with Cody Hodgson for Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani.  In 27 games this past season with Buffalo and Vancouver, he had three goals and six assists for nine points.  Not a bad depth move for the Sabres, as Sulzer was a fairly steady blueliner for the club after his acquisition, scoring three goals and five assists for eight points in 15 games.  He has good size, plenty of offensive talent, and is very mobile on the ice.  Look for him to fight for a top-four role with the team at training camp in the fall.

Sabres Acquire Cody Hodgson from Canucks for Zack Kassian

The Buffalo Sabres have acquired center Cody Hodgson and defenseman Alexander Sulzer from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for right wing Zack Kassian and defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani. In 63 games so far this season, Hodgson has 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points, while Sulzer has one assist in 12 games. Kassian has three goals and four assists for seven points in 27 games with the Sabres. He also appeared in 30 games with Rochester of the AHL, scoring 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points. Gragnani has played in 44 games so far this season, scoring one goal and 11 assists for 12 points.

This is quite the unexpected trade for both teams, as neither Hodgson or Kassian had figured into any trade rumors as of late. Buffalo gets a highly skilled center in Hodgson, who could gain some consideration for the Calder Trophy as rookie-of-the-year. He has lots of goal-scoring upside, good playmaking skill, and some two-way ability. He should take on an immediate top-six role in Buffalo and will make the team's offense much stronger. As for Sulzer, he will likely play a sixth or seventh defensive role for the remainder of the season. In Kassian, the Canucks get a power forward who plays with a lot of aggression and has good size, lots of strength, and scoring upside. However, Vancouver gave up a highly skilled player in Hodgson to land Kassian, and if Kassian can't make a physical impact on the team, the Canucks will lose this trade hands down. As for Gragnani, he has some offensive upside and plenty of puck-moving skill, so he could be a good fit for Vancouver.

Canucks Add Matt Climie and Alexander Sulzer

The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have signed goaltender Matt Climie and defenseman Alexander Sulzer to one-year contracts worth $525,000 and $700,000, respectively. Climie appeared in one game last season with the Phoenix Coyotes, allowing one goal on 16 shots and posting a 1.88 GAA. He also played in 55 games with San Antonio of the AHL, posting a 26-22-3 record, three shutouts, a 2.64 GAA, and a .913 save percentage. In 40 games last season with the Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers, Sulzer had one goal and four assists for five points. Climie is really just a depth signing for the Canucks, as he will likely spend next season in the minors. As for Sulzer, he brings some mobility and offensive ability to Vancouver's blueline, but given the depth currently on their defense, he will likely spend a good chunk of next season in the minors. If he sees any time with the Canucks, it will probably be as an injury replacement.

Panthers Acquire Alexander Sulzer from Predators

The Florida Panthers announced today that they have acquired defenseman Alexander Sulzer from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 31 games this season with the Predators, he has one goal and three assists. Not a bad depth move for the Panthers, as Sulzer will provide some offensive depth to the blueline, especially if the the team trades Bryan McCabe by the February 28 trade deadline, but likely as a third pairing defenseman. While Sulzer wouldn't completely replace McCabe's skill level, he will at least keep some offense on Florida's blueline. As for the Predators, Sulzer was a frequent scratch this season and had recently become expendable with rookie Jonathan' Blum's decent play as of late. Blum will likely remain in the NHL now for the rest of the season.