Sabres among active teams in trade talks, but Byram unlikely to be dealt
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The NHL trade market has been active to start the season and it appears the Buffalo Sabres could be the next team to get involved in swinging a deal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks last month and the Washington Capitals got in on the action this week, bringing back veteran centre Lars Eller in a deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports the Sabres have been active in talking with teams, with Bowen Bryam among the players on their roster drawing attention.
"You know, the Sabres are good, then they're not so good. And it's that inconsistency that's powering Kevyn Adams, the general manager there, to engage in more conversation than the average GM," Dreger said on Thursday's edition of Early Trading. "Now I wouldn't say anything is imminent there, and he doesn't really want to tackle the core of their top young NHL players, but they've got a good pool of prospects.
"Bo Byram’s name as an example, has been out there. There's an experienced defenceman. I can't see him getting traded by the Buffalo Sabres, and that's unless the return is can't miss. But I would say that Adams is among the more interested in listening to what's available on that trade front."
Byram, 23, was acquired last season in a one-for-trade with the Colorado Avalanche for Casey Mittelstadt this past March. He has three goals and 10 points in 16 games this season. Selected fourth overall in 2019, Byram had 11 goals and 29 points in 73 games between the two teams last season. He has 29 goals and 82 points over 182 career NHL games.
Dreger noted that trade talk appears to be picking up across the league following the general managers meetings.
"I think we could, based on the amount of chatter that's happening now by NHL general managers," Dreger said when asked if more trades will come. "And that's not unusual. I mean, the U.S. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. You're coming out of the Hall of Fame weekend, the general managers were face to face on Tuesday, and then a bunch of them actually went to a restaurant after the GM meetings in Toronto to watch their games, Watch games around the NHL. And that face to face stuff often gets things percolating. So that's what I'm told, is that there's more talk by NHL general managers as we speak."
The Sabres enter play Thursday sitting second last in the Atlantic Division with a 7-8-1 record and are currently on track to miss the playoffs for a 14th straight season.
Buffalo was active on the waiver market Wednesday, claiming veteran goaltender James Reimer from the Anaheim Ducks.