For the longest time (or at least since 2010) the Buffalo Sabres have been looking for the player that would be a consistent scoring threat whenever he stepped out on the ice. Some would argue that Thomas Vanek was that player. While it is true that Vanek is a distinct scoring threat, he was not enough of an imposing presence, nor was he consistent enough to be a constant scoring threat.
Last season General Manager Tim Murray made a trade that shook the hockey world by trading away a first round pick (from the St.