Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams delivered a clear message to other NHL executives on Wednesday regarding defenseman Bowen Byram.
Speaking to reporters in Buffalo, as reported by Matthew Bove of WKBW, Adams firmly stated that the Sabres organization intends to match any offer sheet submitted for the restricted free agent.
Byram has been a focal point of various trade rumors throughout the current off-season.
When directly questioned about whether he would match an offer sheet, Adams responded emphatically: “Absolutely.”
He elaborated on the strategy behind the team`s recent roster and cap management decisions, explaining, “That`s why the moves we`ve made and the position we`ve put ourselves in from a cap perspective have been strategic. If you leave just enough room in your cap where you`ll maybe see a projection on a one-year deal and someone comes over the top, you`re potentially putting your organization in a really tough spot.”
Adams continued, “So the moves we`ve made and decisions we`ve made for weeks now leading up to this point is with that in mind. We`ll be matching and have the opportunity to have a player under contract we think helps us win.”
However, despite the commitment to matching, Adams also indicated a willingness to consider trade proposals for Byram.
He reiterated his consistent position: “I`ve maintained the same position that if there`s a deal out there that makes sense for us that we think is going to improve our roster, we`re open to it,” Adams said. “If there`s not, we`re not in a situation where we`re looking to move him out or looking to move him out for futures and stuff like that. For me, we want to help our team win hockey games and he does that.”
In a separate move last month, the Sabres traded JJ Peterka, who was also an RFA, to the Utah Mammoth. Peterka subsequently signed a five-year deal with the Utah club.
The Sabres are currently trying to end the NHL`s longest active post-season drought, having not qualified for the playoffs for the past 14 years.
Byram, aged 24, contributed seven goals and 31 assists for a total of 38 points in 82 games during the most recent season.
Buffalo originally acquired Byram in March 2024 in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche that saw Casey Mittelstadt go the other way.
