Could Sabres' Bowen Byram get traded again? 8 teams that should be interested

New York Times

19-06-2025

When the Buffalo Sabres traded Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram, general manager Kevyn Adams didn't know exactly how Byram would fit. The Sabres already had two young, left-handed defensemen anchoring their top two pairs. There wasn't an obvious spot for Byram, another offensively-minded lefty.
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'We were willing to kind of make that bet and say, 'Let's bring in a really, really good hockey player and see how it shakes out,'' Adams said after the season.
The bet was that the Sabres would either end up with another top-end defenseman to strengthen their blue line or they would have a quality trade asset to move later on. In terms of performance, the Sabres have gotten the better end of the Mittelstadt for Byram swap.
Byram, now 24, played 82 games last season and was, at times, an excellent defenseman for the Sabres. He looked his best when playing alongside Rasmus Dahlin. When Dahlin and Byram were on the ice together at five-on-five, the Sabres had 54 percent of the expected goals. Together, it was a pair of two elite puck-movers who helped drive play in Buffalo from the back end. His time in Buffalo on that top pair with Dahlin was the opportunity he never had in Colorado — to show he can shake it in more meaningful minutes.
The trouble is, when Byram was on the ice without Dahlin at five-on-five, the Sabres had 44 percent of the expected goals. Given the injuries and lack of depth on Buffalo's blue line, that number isn't a complete indictment on Byram, since his other partners included Connor Clifton, Jacob Bryson and Henri Jokiharju. And in his minutes away from Dahlin, he didn't share the ice as often with the Sabres' top forwards, either.
Some of those struggles may have been because Byram doesn't make as many puck touches in the defensive end. When he plays with Dahlin, it's his partner who tends to retrieve pucks to help shift play from defense to offense, and then either defender can break out with control and start rushing up the ice. So the big question is whether Dahlin was the driver of Byram's success in Buffalo this year, or if he can carry his own pair (without playing alongside replacement-level defenders).
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The potential is still there for Byram at 24 years old, just entering the prime of his career, according to aging curve work done by The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn. The contract situation just adds pressure to the situation.
Byram is a restricted free agent. He's due for a significant raise on his $3.85 million salary. An extension in Buffalo, according to Evolving-Hockey, could be as high as eight years, at $7.99 million a year, on average. That would come in above his current market value, which doesn't project his full ceiling, either, since there isn't an obvious path to more power-play time in Buffalo. The other path is a shorter-term contract; a two-year deal, with the Sabres or elsewhere, which would come in around the $5.4 million mark.
Some of his top comparables give insight into the player he can become. If he develops like Brandon Montour or Ryan Pulock, he could be worth investing in despite Buffalo already committing big money on long-term deals to Dahlin and Owen Power.
But on the flip side, players such as Zach Bogosian, Jamie McBain and Andrej Meszaros show how south things can go. That trajectory, plus the Sabres' investments in their blue line, makes Byram a potential trade candidate, one that would have legitimate value around the league.
Now it's decision time for the Sabres.
Teams that could/should be interested in Byram:
The Flames were better than expected last season, but this is still a rebuilding team. They've avoided tearing down the roster, but adding a 24-year-old defenseman with the offensive skill set Byram has would give them a valuable building block to pair with 2024 first-rounder Zayne Parekh. It would also fit in line with some of management's recent moves to add younger talent, just entering their prime.
Byram would be a candidate to run Calgary's top power play. The Flames also have a lot of players who would interest the Sabres, who need a right-shot defenseman. Building a trade around Byram and Rasmus Andersson, who has one year left on his contract before unrestricted free agency, might make sense. Bryam is also from Western Canada and would likely welcome the move.
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The Sharks have the No. 2 pick in the draft, so they're likely going to miss out on getting Matthew Schaefer as a potential No. 1 defenseman to build around. Sam Dickinson, San Jose's first-round pick from 2024, had a fantastic season in junior, but the Sharks could use another top-end defenseman after moving Jake Walman to Edmonton at the deadline. At 24, Byram's age fits into the core San Jose is building. The tricky part about the Sharks as a trade partner is what they have to offer that fits Buffalo's needs. The No. 2 pick is an attractive asset, but the Sabres would need to send more than Byram to get that pick. Mario Ferraro could add some defensive stability to the back end, but doesn't solve the left-handed logjam, either. Otherwise, the Sharks mostly have futures to offer, and the Sabres need to win now.
If Ivan Provorov departs as a free agent, Columbus will be in the market for a left-handed defenseman. And the team should target someone more offensively inclined, like Byram. The tricky part is that there isn't a path to the top power-play unit or prime offensive minutes, with Zach Werenski leading the way. But Byram could still add a much-needed boost at even strength. Behind Werenski's 82 points, the next-best scoring defender in Columbus was Provorov at 33.
The Blue Jackets have the cap space to sign Byram to a long-term deal. But most returns likely surround future assets, considering how many picks and prospects Columbus has. In the right deal, the Sabres may be able to target Cole Sillinger to add an up-and-coming forward ready to contribute.
The Flyers acquired Jamie Drysdale in 2024, but a player like Byram would still be a nice addition to their top pair. Byram's path to being a top-pair player who gets power-play minutes would be clear in Philadelphia, based on how that blue line is constructed. He and Drysdale could even play together, potentially at even strength. The power play is one area that needs a major lift, after ranking last in expected goal generation last year, with an even lower goal rate of 5.14 per 60 to show for it.
Philadelphia, another rebuilding team, has some pieces that could interest the Sabres. Owen Tippett doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract that carries a $6.2 million cap hit for the next seven years. He would bring some much-needed edge to Buffalo's forward group. That could be the start of a trade conversation.
A left side of Carson Soucy, K'Andre Miller and Urho Vaakanainen is not going to cut it in New York if the Rangers have any hopes of getting back into the playoff picture. Byram would add much-needed puck skills to the back end behind Adam Fox, whether he slots alongside the Rangers' number one or is tasked with being the driver of the second pair with Will Borgen. He just wouldn't get to quarterback the first unit in New York, and would instead only see PP2 time.
The key to the Rangers being in on Byram is a Miller trade, which seems like a real possibility this summer. While the Sabres likely aren't in the market for a lefty, a Miller for Byram trade could make sense, considering how different their strengths and roles are. Otherwise, the Sabres could try to get creative since there aren't many untouchables in New York.
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Speaking of teams that need help on the left, Detroit is high on that list. The depth seriously lacks behind Simon Edvinsson. Byram would be a real step up from a defensive group that includes Ben Chiarot and Erik Gustafsson.
The Red Wings' defensive woes have been well-documented, and sometimes, along with their red-hot power play, overshadows their even-strength offensive struggles. Detroit generated 2.38 expected goals per 60 in the regular season at five-on-five, which ranked 25th; the team's actual scoring rate of 2.08 per 60 was second-to-last. Byram could be a spark from the back end to help the team pick up the pace. Whether he could jump onto the top power-play unit is a question mark. It wouldn't hurt to take that off Moritz Seider's plate, considering how much the team leans on him, but that top unit had so much success last season that the team may want to build on.
That's if these teams could find a fitting return — the Red Wings' NHL-caliber pieces aren't the most enticing, and the Sabres probably need more than just futures back.
The Kings have a need for a younger, puck-moving defenseman on the left side. Whether Byram would have an obvious path to more power-play time would be a question with Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke there. But for a team that only scored 6.45 power-play goals per 60 in the regular season, the Kings should be willing to mix up their deployment.
But Byram would be a top-four defenseman for them, whether he pairs up with Clarke as a more offensive duo, or even with Doughty for two balanced pairs split across the top-four. Since the Kings also have a surplus of right-handed defenseman, Jordan Spence would have the potential to pair with Power on Buffalo's second pair in return.
The Hurricanes are positioned to have a big offseason, with a lot of cap space and trade assets at their disposal. While Carolina's top priority may be adding a true second-line center and another top-six winger, there's room for improvement on the back end.
Byram could replace Dmitry Orlov in the top six, alongside Jalen Chatfield. While the Canes have two other lefties to choose from in that role, the coaches may prefer keeping Shayne Gostisbehere in a sheltered third-pair role and also might want to ease Alexander Nikishin in. The Canes aren't locked into a No. 1 quarterback on the top power-play unit, either. So there is room for Byram to take over that role.
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The Sabres could swing big and try to scoop up right-handed defenseman Scott Morrow. Or, maybe Buffalo could target center Jesperi Kotkaniemi plus draft capital that can be used in future dealings.
— Data via The Stanley Cap, CapWages, Evolving-Hockey, Hockey Stat Cards and Dom Luszczyszyn.