As the Buffalo Sabres look to end their 13-year playoff drought, which is tied for the longest in any major league with the New York Jets, general manager Kevyn Adams has been actively seeking trade opportunities to strengthen the team. However, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported this week that Adams is steadfast in his decision not to trade young stars despite receiving multiple inquiries from other teams.
Friedman discussed the situation in both Friday’s episode of the “32 Thoughts” podcast and in Saturday’s “32 Thoughts” column on Sportsnet. He noted that while Adams is focused on improving his team, the general manager is not yet willing to include players with high potential in any trade deals.
“Kevyn Adams is out there saying, ‘I want to help my team,’ and people are saying, ‘Oh, you want to trade me Bowen Byram? I can help you,'” Friedman said on his podcast. “But Adams is like, ‘C’mon, I’m trying to make my team better.'”
“Another guy he got asked about was Dylan Cozens,” Friedman said. “I heard there were a few teams. But Adams is like, ‘We’re not interested in doing that. How does that make me better?'”
Cozens and Byram, both 23, are viewed as key building blocks for Buffalo’s future and are considered untouchable in trade talks, according to Friedman. The Sabres acquired Byram from Colorado in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt at last season’s trade deadline. Since joining Buffalo, Byram has made an immediate impact on the blue line, recording 3 goals and 9 points in 15 games this season.
Leave a Reply