Friedman: Sabres gauging the market on Byram

[is the answer jesus]

He likely does because teams have started to realize that fighting against this player leverage is a losing battle. I’m sure Byram has a lengthy list of options he’d be happy to be traded to and Buffalo can extract at least a 1st rounder and another asset. I just don’t think they have the leverage to get the RHD or 2C that may be seeking this offseason.

That's probably the most difficult aspect of any negotiation. That's what Buffalo wants and needs and most teams will almost certainly be more apt to offer draft picks and prospects both of which Buffalo has in spades. Personally I'd just maximize the return and try to shuffle other things around accordingly. Byram is going to have to weigh the security of signing a long-term deal this offseason or next with gambling on himself and trying to get to FA as quickly as possible. Something tells me he'll take the long-term deal sooner rather than later. No one really knows what his intentions are at this point. Only that Buffalo is feeling out the market for him and with the current structure of their blueline it looks unlikely he'd sign here long-term.

 

[Chainshot]

Where are you getting confused?

- Byram HAS THE ABILITY to accept his QO or elect salary arbitration to avoid signing with Buffalo long-term; he is only two years away from unrestricted free agency
- Buffalo not being able to sign him long-term reduces his trade value
- Buffalo not wanting to let him walk as a free agent puts pressure on them to trade him this summer
- Teams will see all of these factors and not offer premium assets for Byram
- Therefore Buffalo will be stuck trading him for non-premium assets if they don’t want to let him walk in free agency

Really not that hard to piece together. Buffalo won’t be getting a top-4 RHD or two-way 2C unless he’s old or has similar leverage to escape signing long-term.

Or they sign him and move the other PMD in Power, leaving Byram-Dahlin as their 5-on-5 deployment nightmare for other teams. There are other possibilities.

 

[Satanphonehome]

I'm confused.

Isn't the absolute worst-case scenario for the Sabres is they pay Byram an arbitration-award contract for the next two seasons and flip him at the deadline then as rental?

So they trade him if they get an offer worth more than that and they keep him if they don't. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

[Sabresruletheschool]

Byram to Calgary for Andersson+ makes a lot of sense for both sides.

It really doesn't. The first problem is Buffalo really doesn't need yet another offense defenseman. But even if that was fine, Anderson is a UFA after next year. They're not going to trade for a young talent for a guy who can walk in a year. Even if Anderson does want to stay, Buffalo might not be able to afford his next contract. There's way to many red flags for Buffalo.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Or they sign him and move the other PMD in Power, leaving Byram-Dahlin as their 5-on-5 deployment nightmare for other teams. There are other possibilities.

Sure, I guess that’s possible. I’m just explaining the logical outcome that seems most likely to me—besides, if the intent is to pair Byram and Dahlin long-term, why are you trading Power? It’s not like the Sabres are drowning in good defensemen.

My impression is that Byram has only really been good with Dahlin, which isn’t exactly a hard thing to do. So why are the Sabres signing a guy long-term to a big contract if he’s just going to play with Dahlin?

 

[Beerz]

Where are you getting confused?

- Byram HAS THE ABILITY to accept his QO or elect salary arbitration to avoid signing with Buffalo long-term; he is only two years away from unrestricted free agency
- Buffalo not being able to sign him long-term reduces his trade value
- Buffalo not wanting to let him walk as a free agent puts pressure on them to trade him this summer
- Teams will see all of these factors and not offer premium assets for Byram
- Therefore Buffalo will be stuck trading him for non-premium assets if they don’t want to let him walk in free agency

Really not that hard to piece together. Buffalo won’t be getting a top-4 RHD or two-way 2C unless he’s old or has similar leverage to escape signing long-term.

Not all players take the risk of not taking a long term deal when it is available and risk playing 2 years without that guarantee. Especially players that have had injury issues in the past.

I think you all are running with little whispers and snippets from people during a quiet time for this type of stuff and exaggerating the type of leverage he has.

 

[BB88]

Uh what? Dobson is a great 2-way defenseman.



The Penguins are trying to have a retool like the Capitals, not a full scale rebuild. Trading a 1st+ for Byram is the same thing Washington did when they traded a 1st+ for Sandin.

Ahh the good old retools, they always work so well..

Pens have no future, major holes in all the most important positions but we can do a retool on fly

Just making sure nobody has to care about the Pens for the next 10 years

 

[Beerz]

Sure, I guess that’s possible. I’m just explaining the logical outcome that seems most likely to me—besides, if the intent is to pair Byram and Dahlin long-term, why are you trading Power? It’s not like the Sabres are drowning in good defensemen.

My impression is that Byram has only really been good with Dahlin, which isn’t exactly a hard thing to do. So why are the Sabres signing a guy long-term to a big contract if he’s just going to play with Dahlin?

He has been better with Dahlin for sure... but that is because all the other Dmen are either not very good or young themselves like he is.
Why does Colorado pay Devon Towes that much to play with Makar?

 

[Satanphonehome]

Sure, I guess that’s possible. I’m just explaining the logical outcome that seems most likely to me—besides, if the intent is to pair Byram and Dahlin long-term, why are you trading Power? It’s not like the Sabres are drowning in good defensemen.

My impression is that Byram has only really been good with Dahlin, which isn’t exactly a hard thing to do. So why are the Sabres signing a guy long-term to a big contract if he’s just going to play with Dahlin?

There seems to be this weird thing going on with Byram talk where he's both an injury-risk, defensively-poor, 35-point 2nd-pairing guy who you don't want to invest in, and a high-upside 50+-point with PP time 1st-pairing guy who warrants $8M+ on long-term deal and will make bank in arbitration.

People seem to switch between the two depending on the point they're trying to make.

There is a market for him right now, just like there was for Hronek and for Chychrun at similar points in their careers. If the Sabres like the offers they'll trade him, if they don't, they won't.

It's not really that complicated.

 

[chethejet]

Cap going up allows teams to be aggressive and sign players for maybe more than warranted. But someone will sign him and hope he is the real deal. As I posted Sabre's need to get in the playoffs and begin a run of competing for playoff runs.

 

[Panthaz89]

They should’ve been gauging interest before the trade deadline. It’s safe to say they were warned, not only by his agent, but other teams. Now nobody’s trading for Byram without knowing they have a deal in place. Not with arbitration staring down at them.

Agents have been waiting for it to get to this point, and managers have been dreading it. They gave too many wealth contracts, to too many unproven Dmen. Now above average arbitration eligible Dmen, are going to force long term deals or trades to their preferred destinations.

Byram now owns all the leverage he needs. He can force a trade to whatever team he wants to play with, and the ONLY leverage the Sabres still have, is to accept a large award at the arbitration table, and watch him walk for free afterwards. Or at least hope he’s willing to give them a list of teams he’d accept a trade to.

Bottom line? Sabres dropped the ball on this. They needed to either give him the long term wealth contract, or trade him while they still had leverage, before this last trade deadline.

The owners and managers did this to themselves.

Can you guys stop making things up he's a RFA he doesnt control where he's going or have any significant leverage at all...if the Sabres needed cap space they can move someone else it's not hard. Stop making up a scenario where he signs qualifying offers like he's going to get paid so much less in that scenario that I don't think any player has ever taken that option for multiple years.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Can you guys stop making things up he's a RFA he doesnt control where he's going or have any significant leverage at all...if the Sabres needed cap space they can move someone else it's not hard

RFA’s with arbitration rights have significant leverage. The issue is what is actually the truth on what Byram’s intentions are.

 

[nickdawg95]

nothing says we want to win like trading dahlin best D-partner he's ever had

 

[toddkaz]

Where are you getting confused?

- Byram HAS THE ABILITY to accept his QO or elect salary arbitration to avoid signing with Buffalo long-term; he is only two years away from unrestricted free agency
- Buffalo not being able to sign him long-term reduces his trade value
- Buffalo not wanting to let him walk as a free agent puts pressure on them to trade him this summer
- Teams will see all of these factors and not offer premium assets for Byram
- Therefore Buffalo will be stuck trading him for non-premium assets if they don’t want to let him walk in free agency

Really not that hard to piece together. Buffalo won’t be getting a top-4 RHD or two-way 2C unless he’s old or has similar leverage to escape signing long-term.

I am getting confused that you still think Byram is gonna walk himself to free agency. lol

 

[thewookie1]

nothing says we want to win like trading dahlin best D-partner he's ever had

You could practically put anyone competent with Dahlin and they'd wreck stuff.


The ideal trade

Byram + 9th
for
Weegar + 18th


Now I understand he may not waive and CGY may not want to move him but Weegar is 31 going on 32 and depending on CGY's plans would make sense to get much younger.

 

[Fatass]

You could practically put anyone competent with Dahlin and they'd wreck stuff.


The ideal trade

Byram + 9th
for
Weegar + 18th


Now I understand he may not waive and CGY may not want to move him but Weegar is 31 going on 32 and depending on CGY's plans would make sense to

Good idea.,something the Flames should definitely look at.,

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

You could practically put anyone competent with Dahlin and they'd wreck stuff.


The ideal trade

Byram + 9th
for
Weegar + 18th


Now I understand he may not waive and CGY may not want to move him but Weegar is 31 going on 32 and depending on CGY's plans would make sense to get much younger.

Nope, trading Weegar is a non-starter.

 

[Bizz]

The ideal trade

Byram + 9th
for
Weegar + 18th

Why stop there? Might as well add Owen Power and Buffalo's 2026 1st too.

 

[Fatass]

Nope, trading Weegar is a non-starter.

Yup. Having Weegarvis needed to get into the playoffs. Ooops. Almost.
Trams need to try and improve. Byram obviously makes the Flames better.

 

[Bobby Ryan Getzlaf]

Leafs should be interested. But I think Sabres fans will be disappointed with his eventual return given he returned Middlestat and then hasn't exactly done anything in Buffalo

He just played a full, healthy season for the first time in his career and scored nearly 40 points. How is that not doing anything in Buffalo?

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

Yup. Having Weegarvis needed to get into the playoffs. Ooops. Almost.
Trams need to try and improve. Byram obviously makes the Flames better.

Lol troll post? Having Weegar teaches the kids how to actually play defense. Something Parakh will very much need to learn

 

[Alluckks]

Citing a quote from a player's agent that basically says "the player is not a malcotent" while that player is actively a RFA seeking a big contract. What a hilariously useless piece of information lmao it holds absolutely zero weight