The Vancouver Canucks could be headed for a fire sale, potentially headlined by superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes, which would have a trickle-down effect around the NHL. That includes possibly impacting the future of Buffalo Sabres blueliner Bowen Byram.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Canucks are "willing to listen to offers on veteran players" after sliding to 30th place in the 32-team NHL. Friedman noted "at this time" it doesn't appear a Hughes trade is coming.
Thomas Drance of The Athletic added Hughes' future — the 2024 Norris Trophy winner can become an unrestricted free agent after next season — is the “biggest question facing the franchise,” and pointed out how Byram is part of the complex equation.
"What's been evident for a while is that Vancouver has already undergone some level of contingency planning with regard to Hughes, dating back to this offseason," Drance wrote. "It's impossible to make sense of the club's well-reported interest in Buffalo Sabres defender Bowen Byram when he was a restricted free agent in the summer, given his duplicative skill set with Vancouver's captain, without understanding this."
Byram ultimately signed a two-year contract extension with the Sabres, but his long-term future remains unsettled amid the team's crowded group of left-shot defensemen.
Will the Vancouver Canucks call back the Buffalo Sabres about Bo Byram if they trade Quinn Hughes?
Quite simply, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Vancouver would willing move Hughes, but we're nearing a period where it may have no choice. His trade value will only tick lower the closer he gets to hitting the free-agent market.
The Canucks "do not desire to tear it right down to the studs," according to Friedman, which means they'll likely try to navigate this tumultuous period with hockey trades rather than shipping out all of their top players in exchange for picks and prospects.
In turn, Vancouver and Buffalo once again make a lot of sense as trade partners.
The Sabres have an overabundance of talent on the left side of their defense with Byram, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and the incredibly resurgent Mattias Samuelsson. It doesn't make sense to keep all of them, especially since there isn't enough power-play time for all of Byram, Dahlin and Power.
Meanwhile, if the Canucks are trying to avoid a full scorched-earth rebuild but aren't able to retain Hughes, they'll likely want his replacement lined up before any potential trade even becomes official.
Circling back to Byram, who's started playing better over the past handful of games following a sluggish start to the campaign, makes sense on paper.
Make no mistake: Byram isn't on the same level as Hughes. That said, he's a 24-year-old former top-five draft pick who helped lead the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title in 2022.
His maximum impact would come on a team where he could play in the Top 4 and receive ample power-play opportunities to showcase his transition and offensive skill. That's why the Sabres have never been a perfect fit.
What Buffalo, which is not a realistic landing spot for Hughes, could get in return would depend on where things stand if Vancouver's stud defender is eventually moved. If the Sabres are still in the playoff race, they'll likely be looking for a top-six forward as part of the package.
Should the situation not be resolved until next summer, which is a distinct possibility, then the outlook may change because the Sabres organization could go through massive changes if it misses the playoffs for the 15th straight year.
So, there are clearly a lot of variables in play, but on the surface it wouldn't be a surprise if the Canucks reach out to the Blue and Gold about Byram again at some point over the next 10 months.