Something is going to get done with the Buffalo Sabres as new general manager Jarmo Kekalainen isn’t going to sit around and hope this team can get it done when they haven’t for years. Even while the Sabres have won seven games in a row and are four games over .500, it will take more than that to outplay half of the teams in the Eastern Conference who are also in the playoff race and sitting at at least .500 on the season.
David Pagnotta revealed, “The Sabres trading Owen Power or Bowen Byram for a top-6 forward is a possibility.” This makes a ton of sense because while goaltending has been the most questionable area, there aren’t the most options on the market and the organization has four options themselves.
Power is the youngest and the least talented offensively compared to Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram, and just this season, Mattias Samuelsson as well. Power logs the fourth-most ice time per game amongst defensemen on Buffalo, and for a team looking for stability and a chance of a nice breakout, the 23-year-old is signed for five more years after this season.
Power can play both sides of the ice, but has a big cap hit for what he has provided the Sabres thus far. His cap hit is $8.35 million AAV, he has three goals and 10 assists in 35 games, and plays 20:40 per night while skating on both special teams. The talent is there for him to be a number one or two on a new team, but he won’t be able to pass Dahlin or possibly even Byram, who can break through and have some great nights.
Byram is much easier to move as it opens the door for teams looking for a shorter-term upgrade. He has just one more year left on his deal at $6.25 million AAV. Byram plays over 21:30 per game, on both special teams, and has eight goals and 17 points in 36 games. He is merely one year older than Power, even though it seems like he has been around and done much more.
The top-6 and forward group in general for the Sabres is interesting, and does need an upgrade at the cost of Power or Byram. While Jason Zucker won’t be around forever with just one more year left on his deal, and the future is uncertain for Alex Tuch, there are question marks for younger players still with Noah Ostlund, Peyton Krebs, and Jiri Kulich. Even with players like Zach Benson and Jack Quinn, the Sabres don’t know just how high they can get in terms of skill and impact.
There needs to be some moving parts as the Sabres have built for long enough and have all the pieces to really bolster their team where needed.
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