Buffalo’s Byram On Athletic’s Trade Board

A number of Buffalo Sabres will undoubtedly be commonplace in trade speculation based on their place in the standings, but it is unknown how many players could be moved before the March 7th trade deadline.

Sabres center Dylan Cozens has been the most frequently mentioned name, being connected to trade proposals involving the Vancouver Canucks and most recently the Detroit Red Wings by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, but a name just as popular is blueliner Bowen Byram.

The former fourth overall pick is listed 15th on the Athletic’s Top 30 Trade Board, but it is unknown whether the Sabres are willing to move the 23-year-old defenseman. Byram was acquired from Colorado for Casey Mittelstadt last March and is tied for second in defensive scoring with 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists) in 41 games this season.

GM Kevyn Adams indicated at the time of the trade that the Sabres had been looking to add a top four blueliner for some time, and moved Mittelstadt, who was a restricted free agent and one year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Another factor was that Byram had a year remaining on his deal with the Avalanche and two more years from becoming a UFA.

The Sabres already have Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power locked up on long-term deals and Byram will likely be looking for the same this summer, so Buffalo’s willingness to sign another defenseman to a big contract could be a factor as to whether they are willing to listen to offers before the deadline.

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But I believe there's a distinct possibility that Devin Levi is going to be offersheeted. That's what I thought you were going to say. Because Ukepeka Lukonen is the goalie in Buffalo. He is probably going to start probably 50 to 55 starts. They put Devin Levi in Rochester, as they should, because he cannot be a number two playing 20 games. He needs to play. And he's playing really well. But what changes next year? Are you going to call him up at 23 years old and have him be the backup for Lukonen? His contract is up. He's an RFA. He won't be able to clear waivers. So then either you're—not that it's a bad thing to be stuck with Lukonen and Levi. But you're an organization in the Sabres that needs help in other areas. And if Lukonen is your number one and he's playing 75% of your starts, then you have to go and get a backup and maybe use Levi as an asset to be traded before July the 1st. Because Russ, if he gets to July 1st, I actually think the team that Corinne covers, which is his hometown, might be the team that goes out and signs him to an offersheet. I mean, I still don't understand what the Sabres are doing. I really don't. I feel like—and they can match this, certainly they can match this, and they could trade one of them in a year. I just—even for this possibility to be out there with all the talk that there was last year that Levi's the guy, and now to make a 180 on that, this doesn't even make sense. I don't even know what they're doing anymore, Mike. Well, okay. I'm saying this. If the current administration is there, you know, you've got to think of it this way. This might be something that comes from Levi and his representatives. If he sees his road to the NHL blocked, then he probably tells Kevin Adams, well, if you're not going to play me, trade me. Or if I get to July 1st and somebody offers me an offersheet, then I'm going to take that. It's like Philip Broberg. He played most of the year in Bakersfield, got a chance in the playoffs, and then signed an offersheet because I don't know if he saw the opportunity. I don't know.