One of the first significant moves of the offseason has just taken place, as the Islanders have traded Noah Dobson to the Canadiens, with Dobson landing an eight-year deal averaging $9.5 million per year.
The Islanders received a haul for the defenseman, landing Emil Heineman as well as the 16th and 17th overall picks in the 2025 NHL draft. This move will have ramifications for the Buffalo Sabres, with the most obvious one being that their division rivals have acquired a very talented player.
However, where this trade has the biggest impact is on the Sabres effort to trade Bowen Byram. With Byram being a RFA due for a big pay day, as well as the plethora of left handed defenseman, it makes sense to move him. But what can the Sabres get now that Dobson is off the board?
Can Bowen Byram get a similar package as Dobson
It's safe to say that the Dobson trade has set the market for defensemen. Every team will use that deal as the baseline and potential framework for any deal involving defensemen. The Dobson extension will also set the free agent market and establish the expectations for the type of contract players can expect to land this offseason.
However, it'll be brought up more during Byram trade negotiations because of how similar these two players are. These players are only two years apart, with Byram being 23 and Dobson being 25.
They are also both coming off a season in which they scored just under 40 points. Their play style is also very similar, with both of them being good skaters who can be involved in the offensive game, without it hurting their defensive ability.
Given their similarities, the Sabres will hope to secure a comparable package to the one the Islanders received. While they likely won't receive the same package as Dobson, due to Byram not having the same track record as Dobson does.
Dobson has three seasons of over 45 points, while Byram's 38 points was a career high. Despite this, the Sabres will do everything in their power to secure a similar package.
Byram's value also just increased because there are fewer defensemen on the trade market. Going into this offseason, Dobson, Byram, and K'Andre Miller were the three young defensemen on the trade block.
Now that one of them is gone, the team will start to panic; they might not be able to land one of them. This will cause teams to up their offers to guarantee they land one of them.
Although it's unfortunate that the Sabres' division rivals landed Dobson, it could ultimately help them. It might be what enables them to land a better package than expected for Byram.
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