This bold Peterka and Byram trade pitch could quietly rescue the Sabres

Trading JJ Peterka of all players would be one heck of a loss. Let’s not sugarcoat it. How could you possibly benefit from trading away a 68-point, 27-goal player who’s been Kevyn Adams’ best draft pick by a country mile? Honestly, trading Peterka would be shortsighted for the Sabres on the surface. 

And trading away Bowen Byram echoes those sentiments since he’s been solid, at worst, since coming to Buffalo in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. Anyone with some sense would do all they could to keep this dynamic duo in town rather than pawn them off elsewhere, where they’ll likely join competitive teams. 

Yeah, and if and when that happens, it’ll move the Sabres yet another step closer to being the NHL’s version of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In other words, every good, young player you develop ends up going somewhere else to compete for (and win) Stanley Cups. But maybe this one won’t sting so much if done properly. 

The Sabres could package Bowen Byram and JJ Peterka in one blockbuster move

Could you think of a team, likely one getting ready to become contenders, that would pass up on two talented young players? Or one that’s in retooling mode and could use Byram and Peterka as another stepping stone so they can make a giant leap?

Or, what about one that was so dysfunctional that it kept them out of the playoffs? That’s a team I’ll use in this example - Bowen Byram, JJ Peterka, and the 2025 first-round pick for, oh, I don’t know? Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks? Note - the Sabres would need to immediately sign Boeser since he’s a pending unrestricted free agent.

While Byram would leave a void at the blue line, would anybody say that the Sabres lost out on a deal like this, should Pettersson waive his no-movement clause? Hey, if it means trading Petrka and Byram to get a potential superstar in Pettersson despite the down season, then I’m all for it. Ditto for a sound player in Boeser. In fact, I’d say the Sabres could win out on a deal like that, hence the first-round pick. 

Trading away Peterka and Byram wouldn’t be the end of the world…

Unless Kevyn Adams traded the two for early-round draft picks and a plethora of prospects, the Sabres may not lose out if they saw no choice but to move these young, brewing stars. Yeah, it would look like a loss on the surface, but what if the Sabres called up their expansion brethren and made the offer?

The Canucks are looking to turn the page on what was a massive mirage during the Rick Tocchet era, so moving Pettersson and Boeser would distance themselves further from what was ultimately a disappointing chapter in franchise history. And meanwhile, the Sabres would have Pettersson to team up with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. 

Yeah, that would be huge, don’t ya think? Meanwhile, put Boeser on the same line as Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn - I’m assuming Quinn stays if Peterka goes. All of that said, losing Peterka and Byram would be a heartbreaker, but maybe not a dealbreaker.