Tyler Myers Trade Talks Intensify With Anaheim Ducks
By Tim Redinger
Tyler Myers isn’t being actively shopped by the Buffalo Sabres, but they are definitely listening to offers, and according to reports, the Anaheim Ducks want to be the fore runner in getting the blue-liner on their team for a playoff push.
Do you really want to give up on Tyler Myers? He might need a change of scenery to really come out of his shell and return to the form that won him the rookie of the year nominations. Or the Buffalo Sabres could just give him the time necessary to develop into the show stopping defensive player that his size dictates him to be.
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Look how long it took Zdeno Chara to grow into his body and role, and at his prime, everyone would have loved to have Chara on their team. Chara also had a change of scenery before coming into his own however.
Trading for Myers isn’t a cheap idea either, because your not getting a rental player. Myers is in the third season of a seven year deal, and teams will have to have room for his five and a half million dollar salary cap hit.
The Buffalo Sabres need his salary cap at present time, as they will be needing to pay guys, and possibly overpay some guys to retain the floor, but have plenty of space to make major upgrades to their team via free agency and trades.
Tyler Myers won’t come cheap on the return either. The former first round pick, 12th overall, is going to take some assets to get him away from the Buffalo Sabres. For starters, the Buffalo Sabres are going to want a draft pick. If anyone on the roster for Buffalo is going to demand a first round pick in return, it is Tyler Myers. Anaheim’s first round draft pick is going to be right around the bottom five in the draft, depending on how their playoff run pans out.
Don’t just stop with the pick. The Sabres are going to want to get at least two players in the deal as well. Possibly an NHL ready defenseman that will be able to step in and play some of the minutes that Myers has been logging. Tyler Myers is the Buffalo Sabres ice time leader, so the rest of the blue line will instantly get minutes once belonging to Myers, most likely by committee.
Buffalo’s defensive prospects pool is deep, but they will likely want another defensive prospect from inquiring teams.
To sweeten the deal for the Buffalo Sabres, they might be enticed to add a prospect player from the Rochester Americans, to increase he return for future considerations, a later round draft pick in another year. I could see adding on a guy that has no future here with either the Rochester Americans or Buffalo Sabres, to lure a second round draft pick into the mix as well, in either this year or next years draft class.
Moving Tyler Myers may have never been in the plans, but if the Sabres are thinking about it, could go a long way in reshaping the blue line.