Nikita Novikov swapped for forward Kaleb Lawrence for the rest of the season

[Brawndo]

Each team will maintain the players rights though

 

Edited March 9 by Brawndo

[LGR4GM]

Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!

oh, we keep his rights. NM. 

[dudacek]

Doesn't speak well for Nikita's future with the organization.

 

[Derrico]

Weird.  Didn’t even know you could do this.  What would be the reasoning? 

[French Collection]

Lawrence is from the Ottawa region. Maybe he needed to get closer to home for some family reason???

Laval is closer but…

[DarthEbriate]

3 minutes ago, Derrico said:

Weird.  Didn’t even know you could do this.  What would be the reasoning? 

Give him a chance to play for a championship and get a ton of playoff experience. The Reign are 2nd out west and trying to run away with their division.

Rochester is... not.

2 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Lawrence is from the Ottawa region. Maybe he needed to get closer to home for some family reason???

Laval is closer but…

The other Ontario.    edit: The Reign play in the Other Ontario

Edited March 9 by DarthEbriate

[PromoTheRobot]

16 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Give him a chance to play for a championship and get a ton of playoff experience. The Reign are 2nd out west and trying to run away with their division.

Rochester is... not.

The other Ontario.    edit: The Reign play in the Other Ontario

The Reign used to be our beloved AHL Manchester Monarchs until the LA Kings moved them closer to LA and swapped in their ECHL team that no one went to see.

[pastajoe]

Lawrence is 6’6” 225, 3 points in 16 games. Perhaps the Amerks are looking for some size up front while making room for Metsa to return.

[Ctaeth]

I'd assume this is in light of the Sabres defensive additions?  No chance for him to be called up to the Sabres.  Gets him playing some meaningful hockey instead of rotting in Rochester where he has no chance to be called up and won't be playing in the playoffs. 

Maybe a pseudo try out with the Kings organization?   

Honestly, I didn't even know this was possible.  See it in soccer pretty often where a player is loaned out to another team...

edit:  fwiw the amerks are still in a playoff spot

Edited March 9 by Ctaeth

[matter2003]

He should change his name to Novikain 😂

[Jorcus]

I noticed Novikov had not been in the line up for the past few games. He was injured earlier in the year. Not sure what is going on here. 

[Mustache of God]

1 hour ago, Derrico said:

Weird.  Didn’t even know you could do this.  What would be the reasoning? 

Wasn't Matt Moulson loaded to the San Diego team after he fell off a cliff?

[PotentPowerPlay21]

1 hour ago, pastajoe said:

Lawrence is 6’6” 225, 3 points in 16 games. Perhaps the Amerks are looking for some size up front while making room for Metsa to return.

A former 7th round draft pick known for his physical presence. The Sabres organization is sorely lacking in the "physical presence" department. 

[JP51]

3 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

Wasn't Matt Moulson loaded to the San Diego team after he fell off a cliff?

I think he was yes.

[LGR4GM]

12 minutes ago, PotentPowerPlay21 said:

A former 7th round draft pick known for his physical presence. The Sabres organization is sorely lacking in the "physical presence" department. 

So you didn't watch the game yesterday?

Also this guy isn't on the Sabres and won't be. 

[Taro T]

32 minutes ago, Ctaeth said:

I'd assume this is in light of the Sabres defensive additions?  No chance for him to be called up to the Sabres.  Gets him playing some meaningful hockey instead of rotting in Rochester where he has no chance to be called up and won't be playing in the playoffs. 

Maybe a pseudo try out with the Kings organization?   

Honestly, I didn't even know this was possible.  See it in soccer pretty often where a player is loaned out to another team...

edit:  fwiw the amerks are still in a playoff spot

Way back in the day the Caps loaned Kolzig to the Amerks in the mid-90's.

Binnington was playing for a different team's farm club before he became a SC hero too.

And as somebody posted, Moulson was loaned to a team in CA rather than the Amerks when he no longer was part of the Sabres plans.

It's not a common occurrance, but it is allowable.

[Jorcus]

Some more detail on the swap from Pro Hockey rumors.

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2026/03/kings-sabres-loan-kaleb-lawrence-nikita-novikov-to-each-others-ahl-affiliates.html

 

I can understand Novikov looking to go some place else where he is not buried on the depth chart. If that is even the case. 

[DarthEbriate]

17 minutes ago, Jorcus said:

Some more detail on the swap from Pro Hockey rumors.

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2026/03/kings-sabres-loan-kaleb-lawrence-nikita-novikov-to-each-others-ahl-affiliates.html

 

I can understand Novikov looking to go some place else where he is not buried on the depth chart. If that is even the case. 

The team might not be interested in him as a #8 for next season, but as it stands this summer: Metsa is UFA and Schenn is likely to retire. The path to the first righty off the bench on the Sabres is open this summer. And -- the Sabres could benfit by having it be a minimum/2-way contract. (They should re-sign Metsa before 7/1, but this is how it's currently laid out.)

 

 

On the snarky side:

What's he doing, channeling his inner Parayko and only accepting a trade to the LA area?

Edited March 9 by DarthEbriate

[Weave]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

The team might not be interested in him as a #8 for next season, but as it stands this summer: Metsa is UFA and Schenn is likely to retire. The path to the first righty off the bench on the Sabres is open this summer. And -- the Sabres could benfit by having it be a minimum/2-way contract. (They should re-sign Metsa before 7/1, but this is how it's currently laid out.)

I saw an interview yesterday I think.  I want to say it was with a Winnipeg hockey reporter, who said Schenn wants to get to 20 NHL seasons, which puts his retirement 2 more seasons out.

[dudacek]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

I saw an interview yesterday I think.  I want to say it was with a Winnipeg hockey reporter, who said Schenn wants to get to 20 NHL seasons, which puts his retirement 2 more seasons out.

I think Stanley referenced it in his presser?

[Weave]

52 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I think Stanley referenced it in his presser?

That could be it

[pastajoe]

5 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

Wasn't Matt Moulson loaded to the San Diego team after he fell off a cliff?

Actually it was the Ontario Reign for 2 years, then his last 3 years were with the Hershey Bears.

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

I saw an interview yesterday I think.  I want to say it was with a Winnipeg hockey reporter, who said Schenn wants to get to 20 NHL seasons, which puts his retirement 2 more seasons out.

I bet he signs with the Islanders after this year and ends playing with his brother. 

 

4 minutes ago, pastajoe said:

Actually it was the Ontario Reign for 2 years, then his last 3 years were with the Hershey Bears.

First time I ever heard of them, playing the local Abbotsford Canucks, I thought they were a team from the province and thought that was weird. Still makes me think that when I hear the name. 

Novikov will never be a Sabre. He's not good enough, period. 

Assuming Stanley works out I'd love to see him signed. The rest are rentals for this cup run. 

[Jorcus]

I think it is pretty clear that Novikov is not going to be a Buffalo Sabre. The question is will be play in the NHL? I don't see why he can't. He is only 22 and will finish his 3rd AHL season. He also played 2 years for the Moscow Dynamo. He is a steady hockey player who is probably frustrated by the lack of even a short term call up to put a little money is his pocket vs the low wages of an entry level AHL contract. I think he has NHL level game given a chance in the right system. He is not dynamic a  enough skater to play the Buffalo style. I will follow him with interest because I do think he is a good player and might even find his way to a top 4 some day.