The Buffalo Sabres completed their Development Camp on Thursday, but the focus on the club continues to be the status of restricted free agent defenseman Bowen Byram. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported earlier in the week that interested clubs were contemplating an offer sheet, but that there are also teams looking to make a deal for the 23-year-old blueliner. One of the clubs listed was the St. Louis Blues and according to Jeremy Rutherford of the Athletic, the Blues are trying to consummate a deal with the Sabres.
“We believe Bo is an excellent hockey player that can help our team win,” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said on Wednesday. “I've maintained the same position that if there's a deal out there that makes sense for us that we think is going to improve our roster we're open to it. If there's not, we're not in a situation where we're looking to move him out or looking to move him for futures and stuff like that, for me we want to help our team win hockey games and he helps us do that.”
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Summer Dilemmas – Bowen Byram
Sabres Facing An Off-Season Of Change
Byram is two years away from unrestricted free agency, but the Blues would likely be willing to commit to a long-term deal with the blueliner, since the majority of their defensive corps (Cam Fowler, Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko) is in their early 30’s, hence the reason St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong made the offer sheet bid for Philip Broberg last summer and traded with Montreal for former first round pick Logan Mallioux.
Rutherford indicated that he does not believe that the Blues would go the offer sheet this time around, but that other interested clubs (Dreger indicated that the Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights, and Los Angeles Kings are talking to the Sabres) could be. Intriguing possibilities who could be involved in the deal are former St. Louis first-rounders Jake Neighbours, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Dalibor Dvorsky.
Neighbours is the same age as Byram, has scored 20+ goals the last two seasons, and is under contract for two years at a reasonable $3.75 million cap hit. Snuggerud, 21, the son of former Sabre Dave Snuggerud, made his NHL debut last season, playing seven regular season and playoff games, while Dvorsky, was the 10th overall selection in 2023 and scored 21 goals with AHL Springfield last season.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
Read the full article here