The Buffalo Sabres young and exciting core is going to stay together and remain strong for many years to come. However, one player with an upcoming contract is likely to leave soon. That could be in free agency after next season, but it isn't unlikely that Bowen Byram is traded before the beginning of the 2026-27 season. The Utah Mammoth are a young and exciting team themselves, and trading for the defenseman could make a lot of sense.
The Buffalo Sabres are unlikely to retain Byram
To put it simply, the Sabers have been giving contract extensions to many of their young stars, which makes absolute sense. But that means the team cannot afford others, including Byram, who is likely seeking a lot of money. After his age 26 season, Byram is set to become a free agent, and it doesn't seem like the Sabers have the ability to afford the star defenseman. Byram is probably seeking anywhere between a $7M-$10M deal, which is too expensive for the Sabres.
Byram is good, and looking to keep him for another season trying to compete after being eliminated in the most recent Stanley Cup Playoffs wouldn't be a horrible idea. However, Byram could probably be traded for a haul, as keeping him for just one season probably wouldn't make too much sense. Buffalo could easily get more from trading Byram than keeping him in a Sabres uniform for just one more season.
The Mammoth could be a fit
In order to trade for a really good player, teams have to have a lot of assets- and the younger the team, the more assets a team has to offer. The Mammoth definitely fit the idea of a younger team with a lot of assets. Utah can definitely afford Byram, albeit not at a low price. Ultimately, though, the Mammoth have already been looking to trade for someone. The team is reportedly interested in a Red Wing Goalie, and is still seen as a fit for Dylan Larkin.
The Mammoth are actually really in the mix for Dylan Larkin. Nevertheless, Byram is definitely a good player to trade for, as he is a fast, athletic, and overall a great defender. Byram also scored 11 goals and added 32 assists, showing he can be a valuable offensive player. The Utah Mammoth had great defensive depth in the 2025-26 season, and Byram would only help that even more. If Utah wants to compete, a trade this offseason would definitely help them do that.
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