With six pending unrestricted free agents, the Buffalo Sabres were expected to be busy before Friday’s NHL trade deadline. However, general manager Kevyn Adams surprised many by completing a one-for-one trade with the Colorado Avalanche, sending defenseman Bowen Byram, 22, for center Casey Mittelstadt.
In 62 games, Mittelstadt led the Sabres with 47 points (14 goals, 33 assists), but his three-year, $7.5 million contract expired this summer, creating a dilemma for the team. The 25-year-old was a restricted free agent with one year left before becoming an unrestricted free agent and eligible for arbitration.
Rumor has it that general manager Kevyn Adams was looking to improve the Sabres blueline during the summer, but in the end, he signed veteran Erik Johnson to a one-year deal and Connor Clifton to a three-year deal rather than acquiring veterans like Noah Hanifin or Brett Pesce, who had one year left on their contracts.
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