4 Trade Destinations for Sabres’ Bowen Byram

If the Sabres were to trade Byram, which teams should be calling about making a trade for him?

Toronto Maple Leafs

Even with the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring defenseman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning, then immediately extending him to an eight-year contract worth $8.5 million per season, they still need a dynamic puck-moving defenseman. Byram would add a level of offensive playmaking to the team on the back end. He’d improve the power play, help even strength and even give them some solid defensive game on the back end.

Now, what could a package look like in a trade? First off, the Sabres would ask for Matthew Knies right off the bat, which I believe is a fair ask.

• Sabres Acquire
  • Matthew Knies

• Maple Leafs Acquire
  • Bowen Byram

In this trade, a one-for-one swap benefits both teams. For the Sabres, they get a young 23-year-old winger who can replace Tuch perfectly in the top-six. He has five years left on his current contract worth $7.75 million per season.

As I explained above, the Maple Leafs are getting a dynamic playmaker who can move the puck, create space for himself and others, jump up in the play, skate in transition and provide some solid defense as well. The Maple Leafs lack a true number-one defenseman, and Byram can be that for them for the next four to six years.

St. Louis Blues

Last offseason, before Byram signed his two-year extension with the Sabres, the St. Louis Blues were a team rumored to be heavily interested in the defenseman. Now, fast-forward to this offseason, and the Blues are a team that I can see trying to make a heavy push for him.

The Blues are extremely thin on the blue line and are pretty old as well. Right now, they do not have a true number-one defenseman that they can go to. Colton Parayko is the guy for the Blues; however, on most teams, he is not. Adding Byram to the mix would give the Blues much-needed youth and skill next to defenseman Philip Broberg.

What could a potential Byram trade look like for the Blues?

• Blues Acquire
  • Bowen Byram
  • Vsevolod Komarov

• Sabres Acquire
  • Jordan Kyrou
  • 29th-overall draft pick

In this trade, the Blues get a young puck-moving defenseman who would be their number-one defenseman right away, while also adding in a defensive prospect from the Sabres’ system in Vsevolod Komarov. Komarov is 22 years old and has some NHL upside to him, as once he fully develops could be a nice second- to third-pair defenseman.

As for the Sabres, they replace Tuch and get a scoring winger in Jordan Kyrou to fit perfectly in their top-six. His two-way game is often overlooked, and that is what makes him fit so well with the Sabres. He recorded 46 points in 72 games last season, a bit of a down year, but the season before that, in 2024-25, he recorded 70 points. He’s making $8.125 million per season for the next five seasons, so it is a manageable contract.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers can most certainly use Byram on their blue line. They don’t have a weak blue line, but it doesn’t jump off the page; it’s average. With players like Cam York, Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale, adding Byram adds a fourth defenseman to the mix and solidifies the top-four, and he becomes their number-one defenseman right away.

The Flyers are coming off a great season where they exceeded expectations, but that doesn’t mean they are coming into the offseason thinking last season was a fluke. They’re heading into the offseason thinking they can compete next season, and they’re looking to get better, which is where Byram comes into play.

What could a potential trade look like involving Byram?

• Flyers Acquire
  • Bowen Byram
• Sabres Acquire
  • Owen Tippett
  • David Jiricek

In this trade, the Flyers would end up getting their number-one defenseman for the foreseeable future, and yes, they would give up some speed with Owen Tippett, but it would be well worth it for the Flyers.

As for the Sabres, they add speed and a dynamic playmaking right-winger in Tippett, who can replace the absence of Tuch right away in the top six. Adding David Jiricek is just a way to even out the value, as he can become a solid NHL defenseman if everything pans out for him.

Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken seem to have every kind of defenseman but a true number-one defenseman. They have a couple of very solid blue liners in Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour, and then the rest of the group is just a bunch of third-pair defensemen.

Adding Byram gives the Kraken more depth on the blue line and their number-one defenseman that they’ve been looking for. He can slot in on the first power-play unit to help give them more scoring ability. He would give the Kraken a two-way game they have been lacking a lot of on the blue line. The Kraken need a lot more juice on the back end, and Byram would do just that.

What could a trade look like for Byram?

• Kraken Acquire
  • Bowen Byram
• Sabres Acquire
  • Jared McCann

With both of these teams, you can do a swap of two players who are both pending unrestricted free agents at the end of next season. Jared McCann would help fill the void that Tuch would fill and help the Sabres buy one more year to find a younger player who would be a long-term fit in the top-six. It’s hard to pass on a former 40-goal scorer in McCann if you’re the Sabres.

The only catch with trading Byram is if he would be willing to sign an extension with the team he gets traded to. If so, his value does go up a significant amount; if he is not, I think it’s worth holding onto him to see what his value would be like at the trade deadline or see if an extension can eventually be worked out.