The Buffalo Sabres introduced new defenseman Logan Stanley on Mar. 9, following his acquisition from the Winnipeg Jets before Friday’s trade deadline. Stanley, who is awaiting completion of his work visa, has not yet been able to play or practice with the team but was present at KeyBank Center for the weekend games.
Stanley’s arrival marks his first change of scenery in the National Hockey League after spending six seasons with Winnipeg. He said during Sunday’s first intermission, “It’s a little bit of a weird situation… I can’t really join the team on the ice yet, so I’m just hoping it resolves itself quick.”
Reflecting on leaving Winnipeg, Stanley said, “Obviously emotional. I’ve been in Winnipeg for a long time and met some great people and had some great relationships with teammates and whatnot. So, saying bye to those guys was tough, but really excited for the opportunity here.” He added about Buffalo fans: “… I think this is a great sports town and passionate fans. So, to see the Sabres having success this year and people are coming out and supporting them, it’s awesome. The building’s gonna be rocking for the rest of the way.”
Stanley will be joined by former Jets teammates Luke Schenn and Tanner Pearson in Buffalo. Known for his physical style—he stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 231 pounds—Stanley has recorded 96 hits this season and has participated in 20 career fights. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said, “You’ve got a guy that will fight anybody in this league and look after a teammate.”
Offensively, Stanley has improved his production with nine goals on 74 shots this season—a shooting percentage above league average—and is known for firing pucks as fast as 97 mph. However, general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen emphasized that Stanley was brought in primarily for defensive purposes.
Stanley expects to play third-pair minutes most nights due to depth on Buffalo’s blue line but looks forward to contributing wherever needed. “We were here with Winnipeg a couple months ago, and you could see the skill and the speed that they play with,” he said about joining Buffalo’s defense corps.
Ruff consulted Jets coach Scott Arniel about Stanley before finalizing the trade: “My former teammate… loves the guy. And we talked about what’s his best suit, where can he continue to get better at. We went through a lot of stuff.”
As Stanley awaits clearance to join practices and games officially, both he and team officials anticipate that his physical presence will add depth as Buffalo continues its push late into the season.
