BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) – The Buffalo Sabres began transforming their underperforming defense by acquiring Marco Scandella in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on Friday.
Former Sabres captain Jason Pominville’s returning to Buffalo, too.
In exchange, the Wild acquired forwards Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno in a trade struck a day before the NHL’s free-agency signing period opens. The teams also swapped 2018 draft picks, with Minnesota picking up a third-round selection in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
Scandella was the key addition for Buffalo, which is undergoing an offseason transformation under new general manager Jason Botterill and first-time coach Phil Housley. Scandella is a defensive-minded player who is expected to step into a top-four role in Buffalo.
The seventh-year player had four goals and 13 points in 71 games last year, and has averaged more than 18 minutes of ice time per game in each of his past four seasons. Overall, the Wild’s 2008 second-round draft pick has 27 goals and 89 points in 373 career games.