*Photo from 106.5 WYRK*
More depth on defense can only help a team. The Buffalo Sabres have traded D Ilya Lyubushkin to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2025 4th round draft pick, according to announcements by both teams on Friday.
The Ducks will take on the entirety of Lyubushkin's remaining contract. He is entering the final season of a two year, $5.5 million contract signed with the Sabres. The contract pays him $2.75 million for the upcoming season before he is scheduled to hit free agency.
Lyubushkin has suited up for the Arizona Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Sabres in his career. He has amassed 5 goals and 34 assists for 39 points in that time, averaging 15:27 of ice time with a -22 rating in 279 career regular season games. Lyubushkin has no goals and one assist in 7 career playoff games.
Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek said of trading for Lyubushkin that "We are excited to add Ilya to our blue line as we targeted another defenseman for the right side this offseason. He is a big, physical, hard-nosed player that can kill penalties and will make us harder to play against."
With the Sabres last season, Lyubushkin had a strong presence on the team's penalty kill, ranking second on the team in shorthanded minutes. He also finished second on the team in blocked shots with 104 and ranked 3rd in hits with 99. He also forced 127 takeaways.
Lyubushkin was just one point off from tying his single season career high in points last season, currently at 15. He had two goals and 12 assists for 14 points with the Sabres, averaging 15:01 of ice time with a -2 rating in 68 games.
With the trade, the Sabres now have 8 defensemen under an NHL contract just before training camp. The Ducks have added Lyubushkin and Radko Gudas to their defensive corps and have approximately $16.6 million in cap space to work with.
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