The Buffalo Sabres are the undisputed worst team in the NHL - both in the standings and in the average number of goals they allow on a game-by-game basis (one kind of follows the other, eh?) - thanks in large part to the poor goaltending they've received this season.
Jhonas Enroth is currently sporting a 3.38 goals against average, while backup Michal Neuvirth averages 3.39 goals allowed per game - both bottom-five totals in the league.
While the statistics point as much to the overall level of team play as much as they point to the skills of the two netminders, there's still no disputing the fact that the Sabres need an upgrade in net.
Along those lines, Sabres GM Tim Murray is rumored to be discussing a deal with the LA Kings for young netminder Martin Jones in exchange for defenseman Tyler Myers who is "100 percent" available, according to ESPN's Craig Custance.
"Yes, Tyler Myers is a good, young defenseman. Those are the kind of guys you want around for the rebuild. But if a team is going to come at you with a deal that makes you better, you certainly have to listen. And the Sabres aren't in a position to say no to those kind of deals," Custance said on a Wednesday episode of Buffalo's WGR 550, per NicholsOnHockey.com.
The big, young defenseman has been a focal point of NHL trade rumors for months now. While he's a piece the team would, no doubt, prefer to keep, if he can fetch a significant return in a deal - a return like Jones - Murray would be hard-pressed to ignore it.
The same can be said of Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi and his young goalie - a player the team has already received a number of calls on.
"The guy is what, the fastest ever to seven shutouts? And when L.A. was in this position a couple of years ago with Jonathan Bernier - and I don't think he will get moved now, but there are teams calling the Kings and saying, 'What are your plans with this young man going ahead?'" said TSN's Elliotte Friedman on an episode of Calgary's Sportsnet 960, per NicholsOnHockey.com.
While it sounds like Jones may not be available right now, both he and Myers seem like the type of big names most likely to be moved on draft day.
For the Sabres, losing Myers - a player with the tools to become one of the best defensemen in the league - would be difficult, but the potential addition of Jones would be crucial for their rebuild.
As for the Kings, Lombardi sent a clear message to his team that he wanted to see some urgency in the second half of the season when he waived center Mike Richards last week, but he also may have been clearing cap space and opening a roster spot for the potential addition of a defenseman like Myers to fill the void left by Slava Voynov via trade.
Perhaps there is a deal to be made between the two sides, even if it comes in the offseason.
