Because we don't have a good top 6 C, that's the problem. Thompson is playing wing right now and I'm not sure he'll fit in well with Cozens. Cozens was good on the wing when he was playing WC and his center was PLD.
But if that's not a viable option it's not really a great backup plan surely.
I suspect SY had laid out a couple different paths, the big two being the coach change the other being a big roster change (think block buster type trades) where several players from each team(s) change on teams searching for a better path.
Would agree 100%. I think the roster change was in the works before the Dylan Larkin postgame presser where he looked like he was on suicide watch or something. A trade could potentially still be there if things don't work out by the deadline, but things appear to definitely be on hold until further notice.
There's a lot of young guys out there, but probably no one like Cozens, physical, athletic, and fast. I wouldn't mind trading him in a trade, but not giving him up cheap or for futures. I'd rather see him on the wing with a competent top 6 C than just trade him cheap.
That isn't a unique set of skills, bottom sixes are filled with those sorts of players and they aren't making 7m+ a year. Buffalo's only hope is he returns to form because as it stands, if he doesn't show improvement, he's just an overpaid 3rd line energy guy. They're great to have but tieing up that cap hit in them isn't something to take a chance on.
Well, I'm not interested in trading Cozens for cheap, so it's really better to hold on to him and hope he recovers.
Perfect, so now we can pivot from Buffalo has no leverage and has to trade Cozens for pennies on the dollar to Buffalo has no leverage and has to trade Byram for pennies on the dollar. I'm detecting a theme here. Buffalo gets bent over and the Red Wings reap the benefits.
technically....Friedman said, "I believe.." that Detroit is looking at Cozens. He gave himself wiggle room to be wrong on that paper-thin level of assertion. He has always caveated his understanding of Detroit as not being very good to read.
Not what national media has said
I believe Byram has team control until july 2028. The issue if sd somehow hrs not resigning is false. Arbitration isnt going to get him much more than a QO.
There is nothing to force.
Hes not a UFA for 3 yrs
If they don’t sign him to a long term contract by the deadline, are you not giving him a straight path to arbitration??? Of course you are.
Your whole premise hinges on Byram being unhappy to be in Buffalo and that he'll "start forcing his way out" as soon as he's able. Which is a possibility or it could be dead wrong. You really have nothing to substantiate this other than some vague rumblings about his unhappiness in his role here. Right now I believe the Sabres have 2 more years of control over Byram after this season and I've seen no indication they are unwilling to give him a long-term deal and I dont think even if it goes to arbitration its an indication he's trying to force his way out. He's seen his role significantly grow since coming to Buffalo and he's having a career year statistically as well. Coming here has made him a boatload of money on his next contract. I'm really having a hard time believing he has some huge issue with his role here, but this isn't something we as fans have any knowledge of. So could you be right? Sure. I was simply pointing out that your general theme in any of these threads between Buffalo and Detroit seem to revolve around the Sabres having their balls in a vice and Detroit having the upper hand in any negotiations that might occur between the two teams.
That or he might see that with Buffalo already committing nearly $20M/yr on a pair of offensive LD that his role as another more offensively than defensively oriented LD will likely not be as profitable for him moving forward. I'm not saying this as a "I want the Wings to fleece Byram from Buffalo" because there are other names I'd prefer merely as a reply to the premise of Byram has no reason to want to leave. He has many millions of reasons. That or Adams truly is dumb and will dump $26M+ into three offensive LDs.
Adams won't decide anything here at all, whatever the owner says, that's what he'll do. If Pegula wants to extend Byram and keep three PMDs, Adams will do so.
Right now Buffalo needs to keep good players. Byram is a good player and he's just entering his prime. So from that perspective It's a no brainer to keep Byram. I've already highlighted why coming here has been very profitable for him. He's playing huge minutes here and he's producing. He's going to make bank on his next contract. Now Could there be a better role for him somewhere else in the league? I suppose, but isn't that the case with a lot players in the league that are on bad teams or buried on good teams? It'll almost certainly come down to money and Buffalo isn't in a cap crunch by any means. Now the caveat being Buffalo absolutely needs to consider proper roster building. They could absolutely use a top 6 center, they desperately need a good defensive defenseman preferably one who's a righty. If thats the target then moving Byram makes some sense. I realize that in order to get other teams good pieces my team will also have to part with good pieces. I'd also add the LHD angle is a bit overplayed. Dahlin plays the right side even if he's a lefty and Byram has played a lot with Dahlin. He's a top pairing defenseman on this team even if he doesn't get huge PP minutes, how much more of a role does Byram expect?
