Sabres Could Still Trade Re-Signed Defenseman

The Buffalo Sabres may have extended a key defenseman, but a trade is still very possible.

Jan 9, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) gets in position for a faceoff in the second period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images / Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

It didn’t take long into the offseason for a lot of trade speculation to pop up surrounding Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram. The 24-year-old defenseman is a solid player, but doesn’t fit with the Sabres and their defensive structure that features homegrown talents like Owen Power or Rasmus Dahlin.

Byram entered the summer as a restricted free agent, but the Sabres avoided arbitration by signing him to a two-year contract extension. Now set to make $6.25 million in each of the next two seasons, one would assume Byram is locked in with Buffalo.

Not quite. According to The Fourth Period, the Sabres are still weighing their options for a trade involving Byram.

“Trade talks, however, are expected to continue,” The Fourth Period writes. “Sabres GM Kevyn Adams remains open to the possibility of moving Byram if it means improving other areas of the roster, specifically up front, where the Sabres are trying to add a top-six forward by the start of the new season.”

Byram is already a Stanley Cup champion after starting his career as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Through 246 career games, he has posted 33 goals and 77 assists for 110 total points.

Only fueling the trade speculation is the fact that Byram put up a career year with the Sabres in 2024-25. Playing in all 82 games for the first time in his career, Byram picked up 38 points (7G-31A).

Byram is a solid player that the Sabres would like to keep around, but the left side of their blue line is a bit crowded. Power and Mattias Samuelsson are both locked in long-term and the Sabres recently picked up Zac Jones from the New York Rangers.

Captain Dahlin is also a left-shot defenseman but is currently listed playing on the right side of the ice.

The Sabres may have re-signed Byram, but that won’t slow down trade talks as an important offseason continues in Buffalo.

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