Murray adds depth on the wing. A look at his three new forward additions

The Buffalo Sabres acquired three big wingers leading up to and at the 2014 trade deadline--William Carrier, Hudson Fasching and Nicolas Deslauriers.

All three are power forwards at least 6' tall and weigh in at about 200 lbs. or more.

Hockey's future slots Carrier and Deslauriers as the Nos. 2 and 3 LW behind 5'10" 180 lb. Daniel Catenacci (2011, #77.)

Fasching, the youngest of the three, has the most upside. He's #4 on the right side behind Joel Armia (2011, #16,) who just came over from Finland and has been with Rochester this season, Justin Bailey (2013, #52) and Nicolas Baptiste (2013, #69.)


Sabres GM Tim Murray came into an organization that had plenty of depth on defense and at center but were weak on the wing, especially on the left side and he immediately began to address that need at the 2014 trade deadline.

Whereas the previous regime spent two years bulking up the center position with the idea of moving them to the wing if necessary (an about face from their previous philosophy) Murray got right to the point adding natural wingers.

He also continued with an organizational philosophy laid down at the 2012 Draft--bigger, faster, tougher. It was something he was familiar with having helped build the big, aggressive Anaheim Ducks 2007 Stanley Cup team.




LW William Carrier

Carrier (Care-ee-ay) was part of the Ryan Miller/Steve Ott trade with St. Louis on February 28th. The 6'2" 198 lb left winger was drafted by the Blues in the second round (#57) of the 2013 Draft.

William Carrier

Said Murray at his post Miller trade presser, "[Carrier] is a first-round touted kid who missed half the season with an ankle injury. He's got size, he's got skill, he's got stuff that we've got to help him with. He's just that, he's a prospect."

Kris Baker of sabresprospects.com had the opportunity to watch Carrier first hand at the Traverse City Tournament in September after following in junior. Said Baker, "With the high ankle sprain behind him, Carrier showcased his ability to the use his speed and hands to produce in high-traffic areas at the Blues summer development camp. The showing earned him his first NHL contract in August. After scoring two goals and an assist at the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City he returned to Quebec."

His take on the trade that included the big winger:  "The Sabres had a clear need for left wing talent leading up to the deal, and Carrier certainly helps fill that void. He brings a big shot to the pipeline, and isn't afraid to hit the so-called "dirty areas" to make a play. While he brings good speed to the table, his offensive instincts shine when he uses patience to make plays. When breaking down game tape, you immediately notice his ability to get beneath the hash marks to leverage his above-average hands and vision in tight."

Hockey's future calls Carrier an "all-weather forward" who "combines good size with offensive skill and tops it off with a burning desire to leave it all out on the ice every night."

The downside of Carrier is his skating and according to Hockey's future, he's "working hard" to improve that area.

From ESPN after the trade via the St. Louis Post Dispatch:  'Carrier was one of the harder guys to get a read on in last year's entry draft. He's a pretty good skater with pro-average size, good skill, finishing ability and can play with a physical edge. However, he does have a consistency issue and he needs to improve his defensive game. The majority thought on Carrier is that he's a player with top-six upside, is an above-average prospect who also carries above-average risk on his projection. He is not one of Buffalo's top seven or eight prospects currently, keeping in mind they have a very good system.'


RW Hudson Fasching

One of two LA Kings prospects who Murray described as a "heavy, skilled forward."

Fasching weighs in at 6'3 214 lbs.

Hockey's future describes him as a "prototypical big power forward with great hands for a player his size and he is a surprisingly good skater with a powerful stride."



18 yr. old Husdon Fasching is on the
top-line for the #1 ranked
Minnesota Gophers

Fasching, according to Murray, "was highly touted as a 17 yr. old then had a down year as an 18 yr. old. Went in the fourth round for many different reasons. [He] got his game back and was a dominant forward at the World Junior."Murray admits that Fasching is a bit of a "gamble." He was the 70th-ranked North American skater from Central Scouting at the 2013 draft who dropped to 118th overall.

WGR's Hockey Hotline invited Baker to offer some insight into the two new prospects.

As to Fasching, Baker concurred that he's excited about the 18 yr. old. "In that particular deal (with LA for McNabb,) he was the key for me," he said."

Baker liked a number of things about the University of Minnesota freshman. "He's got a big body. Big, thick frame. He's tough on the boards. Can play a bullish, power forward kind of game."

Fasching is on the top line of the #1 ranked hockey team in the country at Minnesota and he is ranked fourth on the team in scoring with 27 pts and second in goals with 12.

Said Baker, "He's doing some really good things as a true freshman. [Fasching's] put up some pretty good numbers for an 18 yr. old kid playing his first year of D-1 hockey."

In Fasching, the Sabres got themselves a big, skilled forward that can play in all situations and according to Baker, is "definitely playing beyond his [draft] position. The Kings got good value with him in the fourth round and Murray got good value for him in return [for McNabb]."

Like Murray said at the post deadline presser, the verdict on Fasching is three or four years out and you can judge him then.


LW Nicolas Deslauriers

On the other end of the development spectrum is the second of the two "heavy, skilled forwards" received in the McNabb trade--Nicolas Deslauriers (Dee law re ay.)

During the training camp for the Kings AHL club, the Manchester Monarchs, Deslauriers was moved from defense to the wing after the Monarchs forward ranks were decimated by injuries.

“They put me up front just to basically fill out the spots because there was nobody [else]" Deslaruiers said.

Nicolas Deslauriers was tossed
right into the fire in Buffalo.

He proceeded to score four goals in his first preseason game. And just like that he was now a left winger.

It would seem as if he's adapted rather nicely. Through 60 games with Manchester he lead the team in goals with 18 and had a total of 39 points.

The knock on Deslauriers on defense was that he couldn't handle his defensive responsibilities. He was touted as an offensive defenseman. With the shift to wing he was able to focus more on a north/south game and send his thick, 6'0" 209 lb. frame hurtling towards the net.

Sabres beat reporter Paul Hamilton who was in awe of forward Chris Stewart's sheer size when he first saw him up close was equally amazed at Deslauriers' size. "Wow," he said, remembering when the kid first walked up to reporters in Florida, "[he] looks like a linebacker. It's not that he's real tall, but what a thick individual. In the shoulders, in the chest, in the arms. He is absolutely built."

No one questions his size, nor his ability to stay on the puck, work the corners or head to the dirty areas. Said Baker, "he's a heart and soul guy." But where will he project out in the near future?

In junior as a defenseman he was known for taking the puck up-ice on a rush. Hockey's future called him "an absolute wizard on the ice and is a pleasure to watch thanks to his remarkable skating ability."

That was before the move to the wing.

Deslauriers, once again, was thrown into a position that was unfamiliar--the NHL. Because of injuries to three forwards at Tampa Bay, the Sabres called him up.

He's played in three games, his first in the NHL. with 12, 15 and 15 minutes of ice time. Although he doesn't have a point, he's played well having not been on the ice for a goal against while registering eight shots and 10 hits.

Hamilton talks about Deslaurier's physical impact when he said that the kid was involved in two "collisions of the game" because "somebody was trying to hit him and bounced off of him."

In addition to mucking it up in the dirty areas, Deslauriers can also play the point on the powerplay. He has that defensive acumen to not be a liability while having a big shot from the point.

Deslauriers has been out there on the powerplay for 1:51 at FLA, 3:36 vs. CHI and 2:21 vs. NSH.

As for his shot, Hamilton calls it "deceivingly heavy."

Hamilton talks about Deslauriers getting the puck at the left point and "letting it fly" without winding up. Hawks goalie Cory Crawford was handcuffed and let out a huge rebound that nobody could get to.

Is he a top-six forward? Maybe not. But it looks as if he'll be able to fill a bottom-six role. At 23 yrs. old and with a recent move to the wing, he still has offensive up-side as he grows into his new found role.

Even though Deslauriers may be considered the "afterthought" in a trade like this, there are many occasions where the afterthought ends up being better than the primary target. Deslauriers may be one to keep an eye on in that respect.


With the trade deadline come and gone, Murray will focus upon college free agents and then get ready for the 2014 Draft.

The depth Murray got in his first trade deadline is good. But skill that awaits the organization at the top of the draft is even better.