Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XX (WTF are we going to do this Off-Season edition)

[RangerBoy]

How does Bowen Byram work on the Rangers? Another smallish offensive D. The Rangers should be trying to add bigger D with length.

All of the Stars D are at least 6-2. The Panthers have a big D group. Jones has added more size and length to that group. Florida plays a mean game. Edmonton has some big boys on D. They have somehow managed to survive the loss of Ekholm to this point. He could be returning soon. It depends. EF said Ekholm suffered an injury which has a 15 week recovery. period It's only be 8 weeks. Ekholm has started skating with the Oilers but nobody really knows when he is playing again. Carolina has Slavin and Burns. Chatfield is out. He is a bigger body. Carolina played the Russian kid and Morrow in place of him. Both young guys are bigger bodies. Brind'Amour knows Carolina needs more size on D. The rest of their D don't scare anyone. Orlov, Ghost and Walker. Smaller D.

Byram is listed at 6 feet. Fox is listed at 5-11. How does that work? Put them together? Split them up in the top 4? The Rangers aren’t winning 16 playoff games with them playing major minutes. Not in the current NHL.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Byram is listed at 6-1 205 lmao.

Stop this f***ing nonsense. They need to stay away from him for many reasons but size isn’t one of them.

 

[Fitzy]

This is the time of year for selecting on the dependent variable when it comes to arguments regarding how to construct a good hockey team

 

[NYR Viper]

I don’t think he’s getting close to a Nurse contract. He’ll be Chychrun on his last contract inflated for the current cap, but I doubt he gets anything near the equivalent of what Nurse got. He’ll probably look for 2-3 years to prove he can be more of “the guy” and look to cash in on 7-8 years after. Cost of acquisition is a different story. I would like to have all of Byram, Miller and Schneider but moving from a position of strength for a potentially higher ceiling position of weakness is a price I’m willing to stomach.

Gavrikov and Provorov will likely get richer contracts, and neither has the upside Byram does. Gavrikov is just a different player - of course - and great defensively and I’d love to have both if we decide to move Miller elsewhere and acquire Byram instead. Lots of shuffling in that case but I see moving the puck and changing a stale offensive look up to be as much of a need as a D like Gavrikov. If Byram were to breakout, there’s no reason he and Fox wouldn’t be formidable in both ends and eat up 25 minutes. Who knows. I like the player and the upside. I think being THE puck rushing D is the role for him. In Buffalo he played as the more defensive partner on a pair with Dahlin a lot, with Ras on the right. I’d like to see Byram be the rover since he moves better than Fox. Fox is in the play in the O-zone, Byram is the guy who goes end to end. We don’t have that on D.

To be clear though, I wouldn’t be advocating for THAT specifically if I didn’t think the player in question genuinely had 4OA #1B-2D upside. I don’t want a puck rushing liability, but as with Bennett in the past, I think Byram will end up hitting much closer to his projected potential, albeit later than initially hoped.

I was under the impression that he was looking for ~7-8 years @ $7.5-8m but if he's amenable to a 2 year deal (which I believe makes him a RFA at the end) then I'm open to that.

I'm less attached to Schneider myself so if that's the price for a piece the team likes, I could live with that

 

[NYR Viper]

I wish there could be a deal worked out for Byram and Peterka I just don't see something lining up. I strongly believe Buffalo would be on Kreiders NTC list.

Possibly Laff, Othmann and a pick for Byram and Peterka. Kreider dealt to a team for prospects/picks? Kick the tires on Marchand and see if he'd take a 1 year deal.

Cuylle - Miller - Zib
Panarin - Trocheck - Peterka
Marchand - Parssinen - Perreault (if ready)
Carrick - Edstrom - Rempe

Byram - Fox
Miller - Borgen/Schneider
Soucy - Schneider/Borgen
Vaak

I hem and haw on whether the guy to acquire is Byram or Power but a foundation of a deal around:

Lafreniere + Schneider for Power/Byram + Peterka is something I have seen kicked around a bit. The Rangers would need to add, and maybe that player is Othmann, but that's something that could work

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

If we're looking at Byram or Power, Im going with Power.

They both have their issues, but theres way more to work with and he doesn't have the concussion issues and I think his on ice issues are way more correctable.

Depends on who coaches the D though. If they don't get a quality coach there, they should avoid both of them.

 

[HonestGabe]

• Kreider + 2nd for Marco Rossi
• Schneider + Othmann + 12th overall for Byram + Peterka
• Zibanejad + Zac Jones to ANA for 2026 2nd + 4th
• Vaakanainen somewhere for a 3rd/4th

Signings

• Rossi - 3 years, 5.75m AAV
• Peterka - 4 years, 6.5m AAV
• Byram - 3 years, 4.5m AAV
• Miller - 2 years, 4.25m AAV
• Cuylle - 2 years, 3.25m AAV
• Perbix- 2 years, 1.5m AAV

Panarin Miller Lafreniere
Peterka Rossi Perreault
Cuylle Trocheck Berard
Edstrom Carrick Parssinen
Rempe/Brodz

Byram Fox
Miller Borgen
Soucy Perbix
Robertson

Igor
Quick


Math checks out. Bigger, more mobile defense that has potential to really blossom under a new system that emphasizes pushing the play up ice. Two RFA forwards that seem to be on the outs. I can definitely see a home for Kreider in Minnesota with Billy G at the helm. They buried Rossi on the 4th line in the playoffs and its obvious he's gone this summer. Schneider for Byram is close value wise, probably favors Buffalo slightly but Othmman + 12th = slight overpay for Peterka so it should balance out.

Mika goes to Anaheim with his friends Jacob, Frank & Ryan for picks. Some young Swedes on the roster for him to mentor.

 

[NYR Viper]

The issue from where I'm sitting is that Borgen is an ideal #5 (He and Schneider can swap roles depending on who is hot at the moment), Soucy an OK #6. But unless we get the players we need (With limited assets and cap) they'll both be overplayed. It's like when Steve Eminger had to go in our top 4. In a pinch that works. Long term it's shit.

Duhmetre's beautiful on paper dream of getting both McDonagh and a top 4 LD made our defense look great and well balanced. But unless we are able to afford the cap for both (A proposition would almost certainly require moving Soucy) we will have a mediocre D on paper again.

And, we also need a good center.

Team desperately needs a Yandle type acquisition (Meaning at 50% retention with term) to turn it into a competitive roster, and it's almost impossible to imagine that without having to move Perreault.

I think we all, myself included, get attached to numbering d-men. For example, Fox is a #1, Borgen is a #5, but really, what the team needs of a collection of 6 d-men who are capable of handling solid NHL minutes AND who compliment eachother. If Borgen compliments Miller and they grow as a pair then I'm fine with that as a pairing. If Soucy and Fox play well in their 5v5 minutes then I'm good with that too, realizing that in my brain, Soucy is likely a 5/6 and Fox is a top pairing guy.

Part of what I think we have seen over the last couple of years is that Fox has been pulling Lindgren around with him because those two complimented eachother but Lindgren wasn't a top-6 d-man for much of that time. Miller was pulling around Trouba was barely a top-6 d-man based on eye test and his underlying analytics. It's partially why the team saw a nice uptick in quality of play when Trouba was traded to being in Vaak (just a normal #6/7) and then acquired Borgen (ideally a #5).

I don't disagree that the team needs more quality NHL d-men and I think that if they play their cards right, they could add a couple of guys to this group who could really help but if those guys end up being guys we would normally reserve as 'middle-pairing' guys at reasonable costs I could still see the team really improving.

Here's what I mean:

Say Drury is able to find a way to make the Lindholm + for Zibanejad trade and he then turns around and signs someone like Orlov (shorter contract, middle-pairing guy). You could convince me that a defense of the below would be a solid, yet unspectacular group:

Lindholm-Fox
Miller-Borgen
Orlov-Schneider
Soucy


I'd even be open to trading Schneider for a good young forward and playing Soucy there. Orlov plays both LD and RD

 

[McRanger92]

Id do Schneider for Byram. Byram will be 24, played 22 minutes a night and was a + player for an awful Buffalo team. has a high draft pedigree and has already won a Cup playing a top 4 role. People talk about finding Sam Bennett's but Byram is the type who has lost their shine, like Bennett did, and there's a high reward with him. We need a LD bad. Borgen is a better player than Schneider and Jones can play the right side with a guy like Vaakanainen or Soucy.

Miller-Fox
Byram-Borgen
Soucy-Jones
Vaakanainen

Fortescue replaces Soucy on the 3rd pair when his season ends at BC. That top 4 is night and day skating-wise than the Rangers have had the last 3 years.



Byram can skate it or pass it to gain gain the zone, then goes to the net. Big enough body to shield himself. Has a shot that can beat a goalie clean. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Im really interested in this guy on the back end, for the same reasons im high on adding Marco Rossi. Let's not lose the plot on them being "small". They play the game in areas that winning players play.

 

[Machinehead]

This is the time of year for selecting on the dependent variable when it comes to arguments regarding how to construct a good hockey team

I find that "don't have bad players" holds up extremely well!

 

[TGWL]

How does Bowen Byram work on the Rangers? Another smallish offensive D. The Rangers should be trying to add bigger D with length.

All of the Stars D are at least 6-2. The Panthers have a big D group. Jones has added more size and length to that group. Florida plays a mean game. Edmonton has some big boys on D. They have somehow managed to survive the loss of Ekholm to this point. He could be returning soon. It depends. EF said Ekholm suffered an injury which has a 15 week recovery. period It's only be 8 weeks. Ekholm has started skating with the Oilers but nobody really knows when he is playing again. Carolina has Slavin and Burns. Chatfield is out. He is a bigger body. Carolina played the Russian kid and Morrow in place of him. Both young guys are bigger bodies. Brind'Amour knows Carolina needs more size on D. The rest of their D don't scare anyone. Orlov, Ghost and Walker. Smaller D.

Byram is listed at 6 feet. Fox is listed at 5-11. How does that work? Put them together? Split them up in the top 4? The Rangers aren’t winning 16 playoff games with them playing major minutes. Not in the current NHL.

Sometimes the girth matters.

 

[bleedblue94]

Yea, typical grass is greener with regards to Miller. I’d be fine with buying low on Byram, but I wouldn’t be giving up anything of crazy value. I do think he’s a good rehabilitation candidate.

Can you imagine a laffy and Berard for peterka and Byram deal?

So many mixed feelings.

 

[TGWL]

• Kreider + 2nd for Marco Rossi
• Schneider + Othmann + 12th overall for Byram + Peterka
• Zibanejad + Zac Jones to ANA for 2026 2nd + 4th
• Vaakanainen somewhere for a 3rd/4th

Signings

• Rossi - 3 years, 5.75m AAV
• Peterka - 4 years, 6.5m AAV
• Byram - 3 years, 4.5m AAV
• Miller - 2 years, 4.25m AAV
• Cuylle - 2 years, 3.25m AAV
• Perbix- 2 years, 1.5m AAV

Panarin Miller Lafreniere
Peterka Rossi Perreault
Cuylle Trocheck Berard
Edstrom Carrick Parssinen
Rempe/Brodz

Byram Fox
Miller Borgen
Soucy Perbix
Robertson

Igor
Quick


Math checks out. Bigger, more mobile defense that has potential to really blossom under a new system that emphasizes pushing the play up ice. Two RFA forwards that seem to be on the outs. I can definitely see a home for Kreider in Minnesota with Billy G at the helm. They buried Rossi on the 4th line in the playoffs and its obvious he's gone this summer. Schneider for Byram is close value wise, probably favors Buffalo slightly but Othmman + 12th = slight overpay for Peterka so it should balance out.

Mika goes to Anaheim with his friends Jacob, Frank & Ryan for picks. Some young Swedes on the roster for him to mentor.

Ignoring the bad value for Rossi.. If Rossi was going to take 5.75 @ 3 in NY, then he'd already be signed for less than 5.5 /3 in Minnesota.

 

[bleedblue94]

He’s a full 18 months younger than Miller, has better pedigree and already has a better career despite the age difference. And I don’t want to move Miller either. They both should be capable of developing into solid top 4 players, and Byram IMO definitely can become a 2/3 level player. He’s extremely young. 23 years old currently.

I'm speaking specifically about the mental gaffs. There's not a lot of difference between the two and one has concussion history and the other is a physical unit. This shouldn't be a Miller or Byram thing, you want to add a top 4 lhd not swap Miller for another one. My big thing is just that people seem to be under the impression that Byram is solid defensively. He isnt. He will require good coaching to develop that. This is a big part of why I said whoever nyr picks as the d coach is the second most important decision of the summer beyond even the player personnel.

 

[McRanger92]

If we're looking at Byram or Power, Im going with Power.

They both have their issues, but theres way more to work with and he doesn't have the concussion issues and I think his on ice issues are way more correctable.

Depends on who coaches the D though. If they don't get a quality coach there, they should avoid both of them.

Power isnt available. Buffalo has no reason to trade him and we dont have anything that matches the value they'd want. Byram can play. He's available. He fits a team need. As far as the concussions go Byram played 82 games at 22 minutes a night last year.

 

[HonestGabe]

Ignoring the bad value for Rossi.. If Rossi was going to take 5.75 @ 3 in NY, then he'd already be signed for less than 5.5 /3 in Minnesota.

Not necessarily. I believe they offered him 5x5 and he wanted a shorter term deal or a higher cap hit on a long term deal.

Reading the tea leaves it seems like a mutual "change of scenery" scenario. We'll see, probably light on the trade package too but Drury should absolutely be exploring that situation.

 

[TGWL]

Season at a glance​

Byram was all things for the Sabres as he took on the heaviest workload of his young career.

He was a defensively reliable partner for Rasmus Dahlin, with whom he spent over 600 minutes at 5-on-5. Their plus-20 goal differential in those minutes was tied as the best by any pair in the NHL, matched only by Colorado's Cale Makar and Devon Toews.

He was, when needed, a physical combatant, like when he fought Red Wings forward Dominik Shine during a tension-filled game in Detroit on March 13. And he was a willing shot blocker, tied for the team lead with 116 (including the block to seal Buffalo’s win on the night of Rob Ray’s induction into the Sabres Hall of Fame).

Despite all of those duties – plus regular roles on the power play and the penalty kill – Byram managed to play all 82 games, one of two Sabres to accomplish that feat. His career-high in total ice time (1,861:10) ranked 20th among NHL players.

“I’ve been lucky enough to come in and get a really good opportunity and play important minutes and meaningful minutes and I’ve really enjoyed that,” Byram said. “I’ve taken some strides in my game and I’ll continue to try to improve and determined to be the best version of myself as possible.”

Number to know: 35​

Byram’s 35 even-strength points ranked 15th among NHL defensemen.



I'm not against Byram, but it's going to cost, and it'll cost more than we want to give up. The 1-1 trades probably aren't happening. Buffalo would be foolish not to gauge his value when you have guys like Powers and Dahlin. If you can make your team better, you should absolutely do it. But I doubt they're looking to get rid of him because of his play. On NYR, he'll be on the 2nd PP unit and most likely the PK. I don't have access to his 2024-2025 even strength defense ranking, but one has to think he took a step in the right direction since it use to be atrocious. The issue isn't adding Bryam to the team. The issue is what it's going to take to add Bryam to team and if that is worth it.

 

[TGWL]

Not necessarily. I believe they offered him 5x5 and he wanted a shorter term deal or a higher cap hit on a long term deal.

Reading the tea leaves it seems like a mutual "change of scenery" scenario. We'll see, probably light on the trade package too but Drury should absolutely be exploring that situation.

He wanted longer than 5. If it's going to be short, he's still looking for money, and they're playing hard ball there.

 

[McRanger92]

Season at a glance​

Byram was all things for the Sabres as he took on the heaviest workload of his young career.

He was a defensively reliable partner for Rasmus Dahlin, with whom he spent over 600 minutes at 5-on-5. Their plus-20 goal differential in those minutes was tied as the best by any pair in the NHL, matched only by Colorado's Cale Makar and Devon Toews.

He was, when needed, a physical combatant, like when he fought Red Wings forward Dominik Shine during a tension-filled game in Detroit on March 13. And he was a willing shot blocker, tied for the team lead with 116 (including the block to seal Buffalo’s win on the night of Rob Ray’s induction into the Sabres Hall of Fame).

Despite all of those duties – plus regular roles on the power play and the penalty kill – Byram managed to play all 82 games, one of two Sabres to accomplish that feat. His career-high in total ice time (1,861:10) ranked 20th among NHL players.

“I’ve been lucky enough to come in and get a really good opportunity and play important minutes and meaningful minutes and I’ve really enjoyed that,” Byram said. “I’ve taken some strides in my game and I’ll continue to try to improve and determined to be the best version of myself as possible.”

Number to know: 35​

Byram’s 35 even-strength points ranked 15th among NHL defensemen.



I'm not against Byram, but it's going to cost, and it'll cost more than we want to give up. The 1-1 trades probably aren't happening. Buffalo would be foolish not to gauge his value when you have guys like Powers and Dahlin. If you can make your team better, you should absolutely do it. But I doubt they're looking to get rid of him because of his play. On NYR, he'll be on the 2nd PP unit and most likely the PK. I don't have access to his 2024-2025 even strength defense ranking, but one has to think he took a step in the right direction since it use to be atrocious. The issue isn't adding Bryam to the team. The issue is what it's going to take to add Bryam to team and if that is worth it.

Schneider for Byram is the easiest 1 for 1 ever between the Rangers and Sabres. Both teams trading surplus for need. I like Schneider but Borgen is a better player and Byram has shown he's capable of major minutes.

 

[TGWL]

Schneider for Byram is the easiest 1 for 1 ever between the Rangers and Sabres. Both teams trading surplus for need. I like Schneider but Borgen is a better player and Byram has shown he's capable of major minutes.

I don't see why Buffalo does that 1-1. GM's will value players differently than fans, but all GM's should see that he hasn't really taken a step forward. Byram has at least taken a step in the right direction. I look at the right side and I'm not sure Schneider helps it that much, especially when Byram was also rotated and played steady next to Dahlin, despite not being able to do that with Girard in Colorado. I think they want a legit top 4 RD here if they move Byram. Schneider would feel more like crossing fingers.

 

[McRanger92]

I don't see why Buffalo does that 1-1. GM's will value players differently than fans, but all GM's should see that he hasn't really taken a step forward. Bryam has at least taken a step in the right direction.

Because Byram isnt going to sign a long term deal in Buffalo. and they already have 2 LD they drafted and have invested more in. There's a reason he's being shopped. How much should they expect to get for an unsigned RFA? Schneider has value because its hard to find young players on the right side who dont miss games and have played 40+ playoff games before turning 24.

 

[bleedblue94]

This is the time of year for selecting on the dependent variable when it comes to arguments regarding how to construct a good hockey team

Size on defense has been a Hallmark of cup teams for decades. Those comments by other posters aren't just a reaction to this year.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

schneider probably has more value than byram. even if schneider is slightly worse overall, the fact that he’s a big right handed defenseman gives him an edge over Byram, whose injury issues also impact his value.

rhd are just worth more in this league than lhd. thats how gms operate.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Power isnt available. Buffalo has no reason to trade him and we dont have anything that matches the value they'd want. Byram can play. He's available. He fits a team need. As far as the concussions go Byram played 82 games at 22 minutes a night last year.

Thats wonderful, but it's also one season. He avoids contact like the plague and thats understandable given his history, but it's not really a good thing.

I'd also argue that he doesn't fit a need. He plays a position where they have a need but he isn't really the type of player they should be adding.

It's so easy to be hypnotized by the skating that it makes it easy to ignore all of the warts that have existed in his game since he stepped into the league. He cannot defend. At all.

Unless your goal is to just try to out offense everyone he isn't really a fit. I'd look elsewhere for defensive help.

 

[McRanger92]

Size on defense has been a Hallmark of cup teams for decades. Those comments by other posters aren't just a reaction to this year.

Borgen and Soucy are big but everyone hates them. Cant we just get good players? Kandre Miller is enormous. Bo Byram is 6'1 205. Thats not small. Youve said this and I agree but its a systems and coaching issue. Kulikov, Mikkola, even Forsling were nobodies until they got to Florida. OEL's career was on life support.