Buffalo Sabres Deal Veteran Defender to Boston Bruins

Buffalo Sabres Defenceman Henri Jokiharju Traded

Jokiharju has played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Sabres over his seven-year NHL career. The 25-year-old has three goals and three assists for six points in 42 games this season. He has a Corsi for of 50.0 and a relative Corsi of -1.9.

The Oulu, Finland has 19 goals and 74 assists for 93 points in 389 career games. Chicago originally drafted him in the first round, 29th overall of the 2017 NHL Draft. He also had a strong major junior career with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL.

Jokiharju has played for his native Finland at the international level. He won gold at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championships in Canada. The blueliner also got a gold the same year at the senior level of the 2019 IIHF World Championships. Jokiharju was also part of the Finnish squad that competed at the most-recent Four Nations Face-Off.

What It Means

This another move in the Sabres perpetual rebuilding process. Jokiharju doesn’t provide a lot of goals, but is a solid lockdown veteran defenceman. He’s been one of the few bright spots on a Sabres team that continues to struggle.

Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams continues to try to piece things together as the team is still in the wilderness. Jokiharju is able to now play for a team that has a shot at making a run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He can settle in as a middle or bottom-pair defender.

Buffalo will once again be picking near the top of the NHL Draft. Sabres fans are watching another talented player leave Western New York in the hopes of stockpiling more picks and assets.

Boston continues its makeover after trading over a number of players like Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo. Jokiharju will slot into the Bruins’ defensive group that’s in flux.