- May 21, 2026
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The Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins completed a trade entirely involving defensemen on Monday, as the Sabres acquired Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch in exchange for Ryan Johnson, the teams announced.
Johnson, 25, is a left-hander who the Sabres chose with the No. 31 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He has compiled 47 NHL games over three years while recording seven points, all assists. The most action he saw at the NHL level came in the 2023-24 season, during which he made 41 of his career appearances.
Jones, another lefty, has extensive experience at the NHL level, having played in 255 regular season games since making his debut during the 2018-19 season with the Edmonton Oilers. Jones has 56 points on 14 goals and 42 assists throughout his time in the league.
The Sabres also add Laatsch, a seventh-round pick from the 2021 draft who is in the midst of his second season of professional hockey after completing his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin.
This move was not the only one made by the Penguins involving defensemen on Monday. The club also placed veteran right-hander Trevor van Riemsdyk on injured reserve. Van Riemsdyk was a key free agent acquisition this summer in a bid to add stability and experience to the blue line.
Both Buffalo and Pittsburgh were among the surprising Stanley Cup Playoff teams from a year ago, and as the two teams look to build upon their organizational momentum from last season in 2026-27, they’re off to solid starts.
The Sabres picked up a key divisional win by a 5-3 score over the Florida Panthers in a matinee on Monday, improving their record to 3-3-0, while the Penguins have been wildly inconsistent from game to game, but currently hold third place in the Metropolitan Division at 3-2-1.
Pittsburgh is in the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, while Buffalo will look to pick up a second win in as many days against an Atlantic Division foe against the Montreal Canadiens.
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Johnson, 25, is a left-hander who the Sabres chose with the No. 31 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He has compiled 47 NHL games over three years while recording seven points, all assists. The most action he saw at the NHL level came in the 2023-24 season, during which he made 41 of his career appearances.
Jones, another lefty, has extensive experience at the NHL level, having played in 255 regular season games since making his debut during the 2018-19 season with the Edmonton Oilers. Jones has 56 points on 14 goals and 42 assists throughout his time in the league.
The Sabres also add Laatsch, a seventh-round pick from the 2021 draft who is in the midst of his second season of professional hockey after completing his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin.
This move was not the only one made by the Penguins involving defensemen on Monday. The club also placed veteran right-hander Trevor van Riemsdyk on injured reserve. Van Riemsdyk was a key free agent acquisition this summer in a bid to add stability and experience to the blue line.
Both Buffalo and Pittsburgh were among the surprising Stanley Cup Playoff teams from a year ago, and as the two teams look to build upon their organizational momentum from last season in 2026-27, they’re off to solid starts.
The Sabres picked up a key divisional win by a 5-3 score over the Florida Panthers in a matinee on Monday, improving their record to 3-3-0, while the Penguins have been wildly inconsistent from game to game, but currently hold third place in the Metropolitan Division at 3-2-1.
Pittsburgh is in the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, while Buffalo will look to pick up a second win in as many days against an Atlantic Division foe against the Montreal Canadiens.
Continue reading...