Buffalo Sabres restricted free agent defenseman Bowen Byram is expected to be the center of intense Bowen Byram offer sheet speculation this summer, raising questions about his future with the team. Industry insiders Elliotte Friedman and Nick Kypreos discussed the possibility of Byram receiving an offer sheet during a July 1 broadcast on Sportsnet 590 The Fan.
The conversation highlighted that acquiring Byram would require a significant salary commitment. Kypreos mentioned that Byram could command an average annual value (AAV) exceeding $10 million if he hits the open market.
“You won’t get him at 9 (million).” —Nick Kypreos, Insider
This remark encapsulated the high expectations around Byram’s market value. Friedman drew parallels to Ivan Provorov, who recently secured a lucrative deal in free agency.
“[Ivan] Provorov just got $8.5M, it’ll be up there… I heard with [Bowen] Byram, they were thinking about doing a 1-year offer sheet.” —Elliotte Friedman, Insider
Provorov signed a seven-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets worth $59.5 million, providing context for what Byram might command. Previously, Byram was under a two-year, $7.70 million bridge contract originally signed with the Colorado Avalanche before being traded to the Sabres in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt.
If an offer sheet is submitted for Byram, the Sabres will have the choice to match the offer or accept draft pick compensation based on the contract’s terms.
Details on Potential Compensation Linked to a Byram Offer Sheet
Friedman and Kypreos compared the potential Sabres response to Byram’s offer sheet to the 2019 scenario involving Sebastian Aho. The Carolina Hurricanes matched an offer sheet worth $42 million from Montreal to retain their star forward.
This year, insiders believe a similar situation may arise, with the Sabres facing a decision to match or accept compensatory draft picks. For instance, an offer sheet with a $9 million AAV would require the offering team to surrender a first, second, and third-round draft pick as compensation.
Justin Bourne analyzed the compensation scale, noting the high cost such an offer sheet carries for the team extending it. The Sabres, according to insiders, view such draft pick compensation as insufficient for their current goal of building a competitive roster, preferring tangible current assets over future prospects.
As a result, the consensus among insiders is that Buffalo might prefer to trade Byram proactively, as they did with JJ Peterka, rather than risk losing him through an offer sheet with limited returns. The interest level of NHL teams in offering an offer sheet to Byram remains uncertain.
The Broader Implications for Buffalo’s Roster Strategy
Bowen Byram’s situation exemplifies the difficult choices faced by the Sabres as they balance salary cap considerations and competitive ambitions. Matching a potentially high-value offer sheet would require a significant financial commitment that could impact other roster decisions.
The alternative—letting Byram go—would demand substantial draft compensation, which Buffalo insiders feel would not align with the team’s desire for immediate improvement. Trading Byram before an offer sheet happens is seen as the more prudent path to maximize value for the club.
How the offer sheet speculation ultimately unfolds will influence Buffalo’s offseason moves and shape the team’s defensive core in the near future, making it one of the more compelling storylines of the NHL summer.