Schenn, 36, has played 1,118 career games across 18 seasons. He was traded twice before last year’s deadline, and Buffalo marks his 10th NHL team. Like Stanley, Schenn will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Winnipeg is retaining 50 percent of Schenn’s remaining salary.
A right shot, 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Schenn has averaged 13:44 of ice time this season while ranking seventh leaguewide with 139 hits. Among active players, his 3,799 career hits rank second behind only Alex Ovechkin, and he registered 200 or more in each of the last three seasons.
On offense, Schenn contributed seven points (1+6) in 46 games for Winnipeg.
The Sabres have leaned heavily on their top-four defensemen – lefties Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Bowen Byram – with excellent results this season. Stanley and Schenn now provide additional depth behind those guys, in addition to righties Michael Kesselring and Zach Metsa. Conor Timmins, another right shot and a stalwart penalty killer, is working his way back from injury.
Schenn should be an option on the kill, too, having played 1:35 per game shorthanded for this year’s Jets.
