Best-case scenario: he is capable of playing bottom pairing minutes at the NHL level (obviously management thinks he's capable of playing in the NHL in some capacity, since AHL guys don't get multi-year deals) and displaces Gragnani when everyone is healthy.
Gragnani continues to play like his usual self, meaning we are able to successfully waive him and assign him to Rochester.
The Sabres gain a tough defenseman and the Amerks gain an AHL All-Star defenseman.
Everyone wins, plus there's the added bonus that Gragnani would likely not meet the games played requirement to stay a Group II RFA, meaning that he'd hopefully leave our organization during the off-season.
