Insider Puts 4 Sabres on Trade Bait List: Who Goes, Who Stays?

With the NHL trade deadline approaching, insiders are making final lists of the players they believe will generate the most discussion. The Buffalo Sabres have four players who could be on the move. Sabres’ general manager Kevyn Adams has some big decisions to make, and Nick Kypreos has Dylan Cozens, Bowen Byram, Alex Tuch, and Mattias Samuelsson featured on his latest trade bait list.

The reality is, the Sabres could miss the playoffs for the 14th straight season. That has to weigh on management. It could lead them to make trades they wouldn’t otherwise make. It’s an opportunity to see some real action come out of that organization.

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Dylan Cozens

At just 24 years old, Dylan Cozens has star potential and has been on the radar of several teams. There is lots of talk, but as of yet, no movement.

Two years ago, Cozens scored 31 goals. His production has dipped since. The challenge for Buffalo is determining whether trading Cozens now would be a repeat of past mistakes (trading young players too early), or if he reached his peak and it’s time to sell high.

Cozens is in just the second year of a seven-year, $7.1 million AAV contract, which could become a bargain if he regains his form. Kypreos writes, “The Sabres must tread carefully. They’ve extended a rebuild before when they traded Jack Eichel and have seen several players moved who went on to have much more success elsewhere.”

Bowen Byram

Byram, a 22-year-old defenseman acquired in last year’s trade for Casey Mittelstadt, has been a solid get for the Sabres. However, he’s generating interest and he could be expensive to keep long-term. He leads Sabres blueliners in even-strength goals and ranks among the NHL’s best in even-strength points for defensemen. That will have value at the trade deadline and the Sabres, again, might want to sell high.

With two years of RFA eligibility left, Buffalo isn’t under immediate pressure to trade him. If they get the right return, however, they might.

Alex Tuch

Alex Tuch is a Buffalo native and the big get for the Sabres in the Jack Eichel trade. He has been a key contributor, ranking second on the team in goals while also playing a strong two-way game. Under most circumstances, there would be no reason to move him. But, with a $4.75 million cap hit through next season, he offers excellent value.

Interestingly, Kypreos suggested the Los Angeles Kings might be open to trading Quinton Byfield for a proven win-now player. He says there are rumblings the Sabres and Kings are talking. Tuch would be the kind of player the Kings might see as a more sure-fire player. The Sabres might be open to moving Tuch for Byfield as it presents a huge potential win if Byfield turns out to be a superstar.

Mattias Samuelsson

Samuelsson, 24, is locked into a long-term deal ($4.285 million AAV through 2029-30) and plays the kind of defense-first player teams would like. He is leading the Sabres in penalty-killing minutes. If Buffalo trades him, it might mean they’ve chosen to extend Byram. Kypreos doesn’t believe the Sabres would move both defensemen.

There are several key names in Buffalo worth watching here. Whether any of them move or not remains to be seen.

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