Adams: Sabres 'absolutely' prepared to match Byram offer sheet, trade possible
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The Buffalo Sabres are holding trade talks on Bowen Byram, but TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Tuesday that an offer sheet could also be used to pry the defenceman from their roster.
Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams told reporters Wednesday that the team has been strategic in planning in case of a Byram offer sheet and are "absolutely" prepared to match one to retain his services.
Adams said he remains open to trading Byram in a deal that improves the Sabres current roster, but isn't interested in futures.
Buffalo has $12.87 million in cap space left with 22 players under contract for next season after bringing in Justin Danforth, Alex Lyon and re-signing fellow restricted free agent Ryan McLeod on Tuesday.
"Feeling is the sweet spot on this falls at the $7,020,113 mark on the scale," TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston wrote on X regarding a possible offer sheet. "If deal comes in under that, the compensation would be a 1st- and 3rd-rounder. Danger in matching is that you'd be walking Byram straight to UFA next summer while losing the ability to trade him."
Dreger reports the Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues are among the teams who have held trade talks with the Sabres on Byram.
Byram, 23, had seven goals and 31 points in 82 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season while averaging 22:42 of ice time. The 6-foot-1 left-shot defenceman is coming off of a two-year, $7.7 million deal with an annual cap hit of $3.85 million.
Drafted fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2019, Byram has 33 goals and 110 points in 246 career games split between the Avalanche and Sabres.
Byram recorded nine assists while averaging 19:22 of ice time in 20 playoff games to help the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022.
The Sabres traded restricted free agent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth last month after contract talks struggled to progress between the two sides.