The Toronto Maple Leafs will be active ahead of the NHL trade deadline and one trade pitch has them acquiring a star defenseman.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquiring Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres.
Maple Leafs acquire:
- Bowen Byram ($3 million retained)
Sabres acquire:
- Conor Timmins
- Alex Steeves
- 2026 first-round pick
- 2027 second-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Toronto would bolster its blue line by acquiring Byram for two draft picks and two players from their rival in the Sabres.
Byram is in the final year of his two-year $7.7 million deal as he will be an RFA come July 1. He’s an offensive defenseman who could help run a power play and chip in offensively from the backend for Toronto. Byram also won a Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 so he has playoff experience. He’s skated in 40 games recording 5 goals and 17 assists for 22 points with the Sabres this season.
The big part of the return from the Maple Leafs would be the first and second-round picks. Buffalo would also be able to replace Byram with Timmins. The former second-round pick is in the final year of his two-year $2.2 million deal. He’s skated in 34 games recording 1 goal and 6 assists for 7 points.
Steeves, meanwhile, is an AHL forward. He’s appeared in 4 NHL games with the Maple Leafs this season. But, in the minors this season, he’s skated in 22 games recording 16 goals and 12 assists for 28 points.
Byram a Likely Trade Candidate for the Sabres
Buffalo acquired Byram from the Avalanche at the NHL trade deadline in 2024. However, just one year later, his name is back in trade rumors.
With Buffalo outside of a playoff spot, the Sabres could look to deal the defenseman ahead of the deadline. The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn listed Byram as a potential trade candidate for Buffalo ahead of the deadline.
“Byram has been a top-pair defenseman for the Sabres this season. He’s tied with Power with 18 even-strength points. That he’s already won the Stanley Cup and played well on that playoff run makes him a valuable piece of Buffalo’s young core,” Fairburn wrote. “The only question is how willing Byram is to stick around long-term and what kind of contract he’s looking for. Because he’s not signed, teams will be calling, and the Sabres could get a nice return.”
Byram is young and would get a hefty return, as seen by the trade pitch to the Maple Leafs.
Maple Leafs Sign Defenseman to Extension
Toronto inked veteran defenseman Philippe Myers to a two-year extension on January 3.
The undrafted defenseman has played well with Toronto and he was rewarded with a two-year deal worth the league minimum per season. Myers says just making the simple plays has helped him play well in Toronto.
“I just kind of came to realize that, for me, when I try to over-complicate things, it doesn’t go so well. So keeping it simple is kind of my game,” Myers said to The Hockey News. “Obviously when there’s a play to be made, you make it. But you’re not trying to look for, to try to do anything too fancy, right? So it’s keeping it simple and playing hard is a recipe for success.”
Myers has skated in 12 games recording 0 goals and 2 assists for 2 points.
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