Report: Avalanche Among Teams Interested In Acquiring Bowen Byram

It’s been quiet on the Avalanche front lately, but it hasn’t stopped the reports and rumors from flying around.

The latest report, from TSN’s Darren Dreger, stated that the Avs are among the teams interested in Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram. Dreger reported this on the Ray & Dregs Podcast earlier on Thursday, before reiterating it again on TSN’s Insider Trading segment later in the afternoon.

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It appears that Byram, who is a left-shot defenseman, is struggling to come to terms on a new deal with Buffalo. Byram is an RFA after signing a two-year deal with the Avs two summers ago before he was dealt for Casey Mittelstadt.

There really isn’t a fit for him on that team. And quite honestly, I’m not even sure why they got him in the first place. Buffalo already has Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power as lefties on the blueline and both are locked up to big-money, long-term deals. They also have LD Mattias Samuelsson locked up long term on the third pair.

“The Sabres are looking to turn the potential of a contract problem into a playing asset, very similar to JJ Peterka,” Dreger said on Insider Trading.” There is a ton of interest in Bowen Byram, as you would expect.

“Now initially, (Sabres GM) Kevyn Adams wanted a right-shot defenseman as part of a package for Byram, but he got that from the Peterka trade.

“I’m looking at L.A., Vegas, St. Louis, Vancouver, Colorado, and maybe a long shot, the Toronto Maple Leafs as teams with interest in Byram.”

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It’s hard to really gauge what could be offered, if the Avs landed their 2019 top draft pick. Samuel Girard doesn’t fit their needs.

But what about Josh Manson? He’s a righty that can slot into their top-four on one of the top two pairs, along with new acquisition Michael Kesselring. The Sabres are in desperate need of a veteran to steer the ship and play with Power or Dahlin.

It obviously would take more than just Manson to make a deal happen. But it’s also hard to really put an offer together, just because the Sabres don’t always make trades that make sense at first glance.

Are they looking for young pieces? The Avs don’t have many of those to offer. Do they want players with term and cost certainty? Manson only has one year remaining and the other potential trade assets are guys like Ross Colton, Miles Wood, etc. Draft picks? Avs don’t have much of those either.

Either way, it’s interesting to see their name even being mentioned as a possible landing spot for Byram. It would also be cool to see Byram return, if they can manage to make it work.