The Buffalo Sabres have endured a series of ups-and-downs through the first five weeks of the regular season, to the point that GM Kevyn Adams has been exploring the trade market prior to the NHL General Manager’s meetings this week in Toronto, but according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, a combination of the club’s three-game winning streak this week and teams being interested in players the Sabres do not want to move has temporarily put a halt to any chances of a deal.
Friedman indicated that Adams has aggressively been working the phones to add to his group, which pulled even at 7-7-1 with a 3-2 shootout victory over Calgary on Saturday, but made it clear that he wouldn’t subtract or make a deal that would decrease the Sabres chances of earning a playoff spot. Teams reportedly inquired about defenseman Bowen Byram and struggling center Dylan Cozens.
The type of trade that the Sabres are looking to make is understandable, since their organization is loaded with prospects and draft picks, and has over $7 million in available cap space, but that kind of deal is highly improbable in early November, when even the clubs expected to finish at the bottom of the NHL have not fallen behind in the standings. The earliest those deals begin to occur is after US Thanksgiving later this month, when clubs reach the quarter pole of the schedule.
Byram was acquired by Buffalo in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt just before the trade deadline last March and struggled to start the season, but has come alive since being partnered with team captain Rasmus Dahlin (3 goals, 3 assists in the last 7 games). Cozens went without a goal through the first 10 games, but has scored twice in November.
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The issue with both players is that they are retainable for multiple years for an organization that has a difficult time attracting free agents. Byram is an RFA next summer, but has two more years until he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Cozens is in year two of a seven-year, $49.7 million contract extension.
Adams has to hope that his club continues their recent trend of success to stay in the race for a playoff spot, so that he can bide time until December or January when teams are more willing to deal rental players.
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