We have a hockey trade, and a big one at that between the Buffalo Sabres and the Colorado Avalanche. On Wednesday afternoon (March 6), the Sabres acquired defenseman Bowen Byram from the Avalanche in exchange for forward Casey Mittelstadt. On Monday, Elliotte Friedman of 32 Thoughts noted that with some convincing, Sabres general manager (GM) Kevyn Adams could make a bigger deal now, rather than waiting until the summer. Well, here we are so close to Friday’s NHL trade deadline (March 8), and the Sabres have done exactly that.
What the Sabres Are Getting in Byram
The 22-year-old defenseman was selected fourth overall by the Avalanche in 2019 and has 63 points in 146 career games in the NHL. The Sabres are getting a top-four defender who is still young, full of potential, and requires a fresh start after Colorado’s acquisition of Sean Walker in a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. On a Sabres’ blue line that already consists of Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, and Owen Power, Byram fits right in and now gives Power a steady partner for years to come.
Yes, those four names are all left-shot defenders, but it’s important to note that they can all play on either side of the point. However, there’s some risk to this considering Byram’s injury history, which has prevented him from playing more than 55 games in an 82-game regular season, but given the talent that he possesses, it’s a gamble that could certainly pay off.
What the Sabres Are Giving Up in Mittelstadt
In this deal, the Sabres surrender a 25-year-old center, who was selected eighth overall in the 2017 Entry Draft by the previous regime under former GM, Jason Botterill, which is a key factor here. Of course, Adams likes Mittelstadt, but at the end of the day, he didn’t bring him into the organization. The pending restricted free agent (RFA) is having a career season with 47 points in 62 games, and with core players like Dahlin, Samuelsson, Dylan Cozens, and Tage Thompson locked up long-term, as Friedman mentioned last month, the Sabres were in a situation where they were going to have to pay him or go in another direction.
The fact is, the Sabres simply couldn’t keep Mittelstadt because of how crowded they are in the middle of the ice with Thompson and Cozens as their top two centers and a young player in Peyton Krebs, who deserves an opportunity to grow in a top-nine role. As Paul Hamilton mentions in his latest piece, Mittelstadt doesn’t even crack their top two lines when everyone is healthy. There’s no question about it, the Sabres are losing a good player who now gets a chance to thrive in Colorado as their second-line centerman with the departure of Ryan Johansen. The blue and gold are also parting ways with an individual who has close relationships with many players in the locker room and expressed a desire to stay in Western New York earlier this season. That being said, Byram addresses an organizational need and fits Adams’ plan, according to Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.
This Deal Sends a Message From the Sabres
Until today, you could’ve made the argument that Mittelstadt was an important part of this team’s core given his strong play over the last year and a half along with the growth we’ve seen during his seven-year tenure. Suffice it to say, this move will sting a bit for the group as a whole, but at the same time, it makes sense to rip the bandage off now and get everyone acclimated with this change for the final stretch of the season.
Related: Trade Deadline Preview: Buffalo Sabres
It’s no secret that there were increased expectations for the Sabres this season, and they have just one three-game win streak and are far out of a playoff spot in March. Even though their record is strong since the calendar flipped to 2024, this team is not where they want to be. Make no mistake about it, this is a major shakeup from Adams and company who are essentially saying that their current mix isn’t working, and as we get closer to Friday’s 3 PM EST deadline, more changes are expected to come.