The Maple Leafs can salvage the Brandon Carlo trade by flipping him to Buffalo for Bowen Byram
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images, Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
The Buffalo Sabres were rejected by Colton Parayko and are still looking for a shutdown defender. The Maple Leafs want Brandon Carlo off the books and need to replace Morgan Rielly. With a potential logjam in Buffalo — perhaps a swap would be the perfect solution.
This past deadline there was a trade in place that would have sent Colton Parayko from the St. Louis Blues to the Buffalo Sabres to give them a fantastic two-way defender who can help shut things down while giving the team some winning pedigree.
However that was denied, and Buffalo seems happy with adding Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. But they also have a need to replace them this summer but with four big contracts already in tow — they need a fairly cheap and short-term option.
Bowen Byram is the elite transition player Toronto has been searching for since the early 2000s
With a potential logjam, and needing a bit more bite on their backend that means the Sabres could be in the market to deal Bowen Byram if it helps open things up and that's great news for the Maple Leafs.
Byram is someone who is now finally healthy and showing exactly why he was drafted fourth overall. He has 37 points in 74 games (10 goals, 27 assists), a plus-13, 84 blocks and 48 hits in 22:28 TOI this season.
But with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Matias Samuelsson already locked up, plus a big Alex Tuch contract looming, Byram's $6.25-million is too expensive but it's a price Toronto can certainly afford.
He would instantly replace Morgan Rielly as the new #1 blueliner, can run your power-play and penalty kill, he's only 24, and is a much better overall player than Rielly; whose decline is genuinely stunning.
That brings a brand new look Toronto hasn't had since perhaps the Tomas Kaberle days, and finally have someone who can get out of their zone with ease, make smart passes, and actually isn't afraid to let a shot go.
Buffalo's failed pursuit of Colton Parayko shows they are desperate for a shutdown defender
On the inverse, Buffalo clearly wants a right-handed, bigger shutdown guy since they targeted Parayko and Toronto can offer then Brandon Carlo given that he's cheaper, and after next year is a free agent.
Since they don't want another heavy contract on the books, adding Carlo into the mix would give them a reliable defender who has proven to be elite albeit not in Toronto.
And if the Sabres wanted, they could pair Carlo with either Dahlin or Power and create a massive back line. Carlo is 6-foot-5, Dahlin is 6-foot-3 and Power is 6-foot-6. Throw in Michael Kesselring too; it's a scary defence.
The Carlo deal didn't work out, and he would serve himself better playing for a contender instead of baseless minutes, especially since he does not fit into the culture whatsoever in Toronto.
It's worth trying to persuade Jarmo Kekkalainen and the Sabres to part with Byram and it's certainly going to take more than just Carlo. But with Toronto needing a true reset and Buffalo needing a shutdown presence — there is a deal to be made.
It's just a matter of whether or not Brad Treliving has learned his lesson and actually make a trade that changes Toronto for the better.
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