Sabres' Byram Could Be Major Trade Piece Over Cozens

The Buffalo Sabres look to be going through another season in which they will miss the playoffs, which means that they will likely be sellers by the trade deadline. I can see the team getting going sooner though, especially if other teams looking to buy are ready to make a deal.

One of the trade pieces the Sabres have is Bowen Byram, and his value is high. With Buffalo already having Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson locked into seven or eight-year deals and Byram needing a paise ray and an extension after this season, there should be a real discussion whether it's best to lock another young d-man into a long-term deal without proving too much or try to move him for someone more experienced and under contract for less money.

The Sabres have two right-shot defensemen, and they're Connor Clifton and Henri Jokiharju. Clifton is a third pairing defenseman at best and plays less than 16 minutes per night while Jokiharju is currently scratched and plays less than 18. Ideally, the Sabres would like a right-shot defenseman who can make a bigger impact in their top-4. One of their 23-and-under left-shot d-men would have to go if that's the plan.

I wouldn't be pushing Byram out of the door and the Sabres have team control since he is a RFA, but he is their best trade chip if the team is looking to make a big splash and bring in a game-changer. The low cap hit this season and the ability for the next team to work out the type of deal they would want is the big difference maker. Dylan Cozens, the name that has been hot in recent weeks, has five more years after this season at $7.1 million AAV and a small 5-team no-trade clause kicks in next season.

The best outcome for the Sabres would have been for Cozens to be getting better after signing his deal, not the other way around. Byram is far from struggling, but will also be the third defenseman on the team wanting at least $7 million AAV and the fourth wanting a long-term deal. I'd be worried if I was the Sabres' GM in giving out these long-term deals as there could easily be some bad deals on the roster and the team won't come out of a rebuild anytime soon, wasting all the talent they have.

If either Byram or Cozens are traded, it's going to be in a big trade to get someone who will help turn the Sabres around immediately.