Buffalo Sabres: Is Jason Garrison worth pursuing?

With the Buffalo Sabres struggling and needing help on the blue line, is veteran Jason Garrison someone they should consider?

It’s nothing new for Buffalo Sabres fans to be disappointed by their beloved team. However, this season was meant to be different.

Unfortunately, things have not panned out as planned (hoped). Entering Thursday’s slate of games, the Sabres find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Despite attempts to make appropriate upgrades during the offseason, one of Buffalo’s biggest problems remains the defense. As things stand, they are near the bottom of the NHL in goals allowed.

This situation hasn’t been helped by a flurry of injuries on the blue line. Zach Bogasian has been the biggest loss, with a lower body injury meaning he has yet to play this season.

As a result, the Sabres have had to recall the likes of Taylor Fedun and Zach Redmond from Rochester. However, it seems clear they need more help from outside the organisation.

With this in mind, recent events in Las Vegas could provide a solution. As reported by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Golden Knights defenseman Jason Garrison cleared waivers on Saturday.

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The Golden Knights would still prefer to move Garrison, but there is his salary cap hit of $4.6 million to consider. Interestingly, his actual salary for this season is just $2.5 million and Garrioch suggests if Vegas are willing to eat some of the money, they could find a taker.

The question is, would Garrison be someone the Buffalo Sabres are interested in? As is often the case, it depends on your perspective.

On the positive side, the 32-year old is no longer plagued by the injuries which affected the early part of his career. He also brings a good combination of size and speed.

However, Garrison no longer offers the bonus of being a blue liner who is productive at the offensive end of the ice. At one point, he reached 30 points in three of four seasons, but has seen his effectiveness dip in recent campaigns.

Overall, the British Columbia native could be just what the Buffalo Sabres need in defense, from a veteran leadership point of view. Assuming the Golden Knights are prepared to eat some of his salary, they should definitely consider inquiring about him.

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What’s your opinion of Garrison. More specifically, is he someone who you see being able to help the Buffalo Sabres? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.