Sabres, Penguins Swap Defensemen and Draft Pick

The Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins completed a trade during the NHL Draft in which the Sabres acquired defensemen Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau, while the Penguins received defenseman Connor Clifton and the 2025 second-round draft pick (No. 39 overall), which was used to select Peyton Kettles. Timmins, 26, split the previous season between Toronto and Pittsburgh, tallying 15 points and showing improved defensive reliability, and is set to become a restricted free agent. Belliveau, 22, has been developing in the AHL and ECHL and projects as a smooth-skating, bottom-pairing defender. Clifton, 30, notched 16 points in 73 games for the Sabres last season, primarily in a third-pairing role, and is entering the final year of his contract. The Sabres continue to bolster their blue line depth, also recently adding Michael Kesselring. The trade reflects both teams' strategies to manage their defensive rosters and invest in future talent.