The Buffalo Sabres are one of the hottest teams in hockey, as they are coming out of the holiday break on a seven-game winning streak. They sit two points out of a playoff spot, and four games above .500. They’re in a great place to be able to make some more noise in a very crowded Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division.
Sabres general manager (GM) Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to be very aggressive in improving the team, as he is looking to be the guy who helps the Sabres reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
According to David Pagotta of the Fourth Period, the Sabres could move one of Bowen Byram or Owen Power to help improve the top six. “My understanding is Buffalo wants to get a lot deeper up front; is it a possibility where you’re moving a Bowen Byram or an Owen Power and bringing in a top-six guy up front? I think it is.” Pagnotta stated on the Sekeres and Price show. A target who instantly comes to mind is Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann.
Jared McCann Is a Near-Perfect Fit for Sabres
McCann has only played 11 games this season due to multiple stints on injured reserve, but has recorded eight points in his limited time on the ice.
With a cap hit of $5 million for the next season and a half, and a 10-team no-trade list, trading for him could be a little dicey for the Sabres, but it’s doable. The cap hit is a steal for a player who excels at putting the puck in the back of the net and has a little bit of a defensive game as well.
The Sabres have players who can drive play, but struggle to finish at times, which is what McCann thrives at. According to Hockey Stats, the Sabres rank 18th in finishing across the league, while McCann is in the 96th percentile in finishing and the 92nd percentile in goals, among all active players.
Related: Sabres Need To Get More Use Out Of Michael Kesselring
Even though the Sabres have at least one power-play goal in seven of their last nine games, McCann would help improve the team’s man advantage and give them another scoring threat to the two power-play units, which already have a lot of talent on them.
Sabres Acquire McCann, Kraken Acquire Byram
Trading for McCann will be a tad costly, but Kekalainen could be willing to part with some assets to improve the team right now. The Kraken will want defenseman, prospects, or draft picks if they were to trade McCann.
The Sabres have the assets the Kraken would be attracted to, and could pull off a trade closer to the Trade Deadline, especially if they are still in the middle of a playoff race and the Kraken fall out of it and decide to get back future assets for McCann. We could see a hockey trade involving just Bowen Byram and McCann.
Sabres Acquire
- Jared McCann
Kraken Acquire
- Bowen Byram
A one-for-one hockey trade that benefits both teams. Starting with the Sabres, as previously mentioned, they get a player who is one of the better finishers in the league and plays both wing and center, so he can move around the lineup if the Sabres get some injuries or want to mix up the lines.
As for the Kraken, they need a defenseman to bolster a blue line that lacks depth. Put Byram with Vince Dunn, Brandon Montour, Adam Larsson, and all of a sudden, the Kraken’s top four looks a lot better.
McCann has been able to produce and score goals without a true superstar at center, and if the Sabres were to acquire him, they could slot him at left wing on the top line next to Tage Thompson, and those two together would be a deadly duo.
At the end of the day, McCann‑for‑Byram is one of those rare NHL trades where both teams walk away solving a real problem. Buffalo finally gets the elite finisher they’ve been missing, and Seattle lands the young, dynamic defenseman their entire roster has been begging for. It’s bold without being unrealistic, balanced without being boring, and exactly the kind of hockey trade that would be beneficial for both franchises.
