For Buffalo Sabres fans, they know this story too well, as it seems they are heading for another summer of Bowen Byram drama. Last year, Byram was a restricted free agent, and he was often the subject of trade speculation before he ultimately signed a two-year contract.
After this season, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen mentioned that one of the priorities was to sign Byram to a long-term deal. However, those discussions might not have gone well, as it is now reported by Darren Dreger that multiple teams are calling about a possible Bowen Byram trade.
Now, to be fair, just because teams are calling doesn't mean that the Sabres are going to trade a key part of their blueline. Although if multiple teams are calling, there might have been some whispers around the league that Byram might not be locked into a future with Buffalo.
At this point, it hasn't been made clear which of the teams were calling the Sabres but looking around the league, it would make a lot of sense if it included some of these teams.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks have a lot of questions on their blueline as they have only three players currently under contract from last year's team in Jackson LaCombe, Drew Helleson, and Tristan Luneau, while they have three others who are restricted free agents (Tyson Hinds, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintykov).
The unrestricted free agents are notable as that group includes Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas, and John Carlson. It wouldn't be surprising if they tried to bring back one or two of these three free agents, but all three are 32 years or older.
The Ducks could look to add some youth to their blueline, and Byram, at 25 years old but with plenty of experience, including a Stanley Cup with Colorado, could be a good long-term answer for the Ducks.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers have appeared to have been after Bowen Byram for a few seasons now, as it was reported that a trade between Colorado and Philadelphia was discussed that would have sent Cutter Gauthier to Colorado with Byram heading to the Flyers. That trade never got across the finish line, and Byram eventually ended up in Buffalo for Casey Mittelstadt.
After an unexpected playoff appearance, the Flyers should be aggressive, and general manager Danny Briere may call up his former team to see if this might be the time to get Byram to the Flyers. They might have a need for a top-line defenseman, especially if the Flyers end up moving Rasmus Ristolainen.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Staying in the state of Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins is another team that could be looking to improve their blueline. They certainly are going to try and pull out all the stops to give Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin one more shot at a Stanley Cup before they call it a career.
A trade for Bowen Byram would make a lot of sense, not only for this season but for the franchise moving forward. They currently have two older defensemen in Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, and Byram could be their replacement as a top-line defenseman next to Parker Wotherspoon.
Toronto Maple Leafs
It is hard to imagine the Buffalo Sabres wanting to pull off a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs but there might be a path forward for a win-win situation. The Sabres probably don't want to disrupt their Top 4, which is arguably the best in the NHL, but if they are able to work out a deal that has Matthew Knies heading to Buffalo, then Jarmo Kekalainen should at least consider it.
The Maple Leafs are expected to be busy under new general manager John Chayka. He not only wants to put his stamp on this roster but also prove to superstars Auston Matthews that he can build a roster that gets them back to the playoffs.
Similar to the Penguins, the Maple Leafs have some older defensemen that they will need to eventually replace, like Morgan Reilly, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jake McCabe. They could have the answer for at least one of them with the addition of Byram.
St. Louis Blues
For well over a year, it has felt like the St. Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres have tried their best to get a trade done, but nothing has been able to be finalized. At the trade deadline, there were discussions around Robert Thomas and even an agreed-upon trade involving Colton Parayko that was blocked after he refused to waive his no-trade clause.
Going back even further, the Blues seemed to be very interested in Bowen Byram and even considered an offer sheet, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic.
A year later, the Blues still need help on the blueline and Byram is young enough that they could view him as a piece to their rebuild.
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