The perfect JJ Peterka – Bowen Byram trade combo for the Buffalo Sabres

The perfect JJ Peterka – Bowen Byram trade combo for the Buffalo Sabres

I have got a double hockey trade involving JJ Purka and Bo Byum that I might become obsessed with. I’ll tell you about it coming up on Locked on Sabres. [Music] You’re Locked on Sabers, your daily podcast on the Buffalo Sabres, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. What is up everybody and welcome in to this Wednesday edition of the Locked on Sabres podcast. Thanks for making us your first listen every day as always, especially here in the off season where we’re in the month of May and we got a month to the draft and a month plus to free agency, but a lot to get to on today’s show. Excited to have you with us. If you would like to become a part of our Lockdown Sabers text club, you could definitely do that. have a lot of fun with us there over at joinsubtex.com/lockedonsabers. You can watch the show on YouTube. Hi, if you’re watching uh I’ve got today on a uh a golf hat says play bad fast. Got to keep the pace up out there on the course even if you’re having a tough day. Lot to get to on today’s show as I mentioned. Uh Sneaky Joe Debasi here on a Wednesday. Trade conversations to be had. We talked a lot about Bob Byum trade ideas on our last show. If you missed that, you can check it out wherever you may listen to your podcast. Today I’ve got a double trade involving Bo Byum and also JJ Purka who we’ll talk a little bit about today because Purka finds himself the subject of some trade conversation again. Frank Saravelli, dailyfaceoff.com, who was one of the two big insiders at the trade deadline that believed Purka was getting dealt to the New York Rangers, has listed Purka as the number one player on his trade bait board going into the 2025 off season. So, I’ve got an idea for you. I I meet a lot of resistance with Purka trade ideas or just not even that I’m trying to move him more so whenever his name pops up it’s no nope don’t want to do it and I understand he’s a great player he’s developed very nicely he’s one of the few young guys that has taken that next step and hasn’t let down Saber fans like Jack Quinn Dylan Cousins Matias Samson I could go on and on and on is not in that group because he has produced and he has played well. So, I get why nobody wants to see him dealt. I actually might have an idea for you today though. You might you might say, “Okay, I do that though. I don’t want to trade Purka, but I would do that.” Also, on today’s show, stick around a little bit later on. We going player by player, looking back on their last season and looking ahead to next season. I got a text question about Connor Clifton today and I figured well on a show where we’re going to be spending a lot of other time doing other things. All right, let me let me put Connor Clifton in here today at the end. We’ll talk about Clifton and whether he’s going to play for the Sabres again. Um I’ll share my opinions on that a little bit later on. I don’t really know what’s ahead for him, but I know what I would like for what’s ahead for Connor Clifton. So all that coming up on today’s episode of the Locked on Sabers podcast. So, let’s get right into it on this double trade idea that I’ve already kind of become obsessive with, even though it’s just an idea that I thought of, but it was sparked by a couple of different things that we’ve seen over the last week and players that you see trade rumors about and are written about. And today I’m just, you know, scrolling through Twitter and there’s Elliot Freriedman, biggest insider in the game. And he says that the New York Rangers, the New York Rangers, the team that remember was the team we thought JJ Purka might be going to at the trade deadline. Freriedman says today that Keandre Miller, defenseman for the Rangers, his name is out there in trade conversations around the league. Not a guarantee, but they are testing the market on Miller is the way that Freriedman put it. So, this is a nice player. This is a very good player. And if he is available, which here’s an indication that he might be, the Rangers having a disastrous season where nobody is probably safe. Chris Drury on the hot seat. He’s got to make some big moves this summer to get that thing going in the right direction. And Keandre Miller, he at least took a step back offensively this past season. um only putting up 27 points in 74 games, playing just under 22 minutes a night, but a very good defensive defenseman in comparison to the guy that I’m going to put into this double trade idea, which is who we’ve been talking about, which is Bo Byum. Miller is a better all-around defenseman. He’s a bigger player than Bo Byum is. Oh, that got me thinking about, well, okay, Miller and Purka, because the Rangers seem to want Purka. Here is a double hockey trade idea that is not too far-fetched and just might be perfect enough to get a Saber fan to say, “All right, for that I might be willing to move JJ Purka.” The trade idea is you. I’m Kevin Adams. I call the New York Rangers upon seeing this report from Freriedman that Keandre Miller’s name is out there. Well, all right, Rangers, you want JJ Purka. I know you want JJ Purka. So, and I like to do hockey trades. So, here’s a hockey trade for you. I’m going to give you Purka. You’re going to give me Keandre Miller. That’s it. One for one deal. I get another defenseman. You get a forward that you are interested in. Then because you have made a deal adding another left shot defenseman that is going to need to be paid, you take Bo Byum and you call the Los Angeles Kings, new GM Ken Holland, and you say, “All right, Ken, this defenseman, who I think would fit perfectly into that team, fits the role for what Byum is looking for, can play top power play minutes. future number one defenseman was reading a just a blog from um LA the other day about why Byum makes sense for the LA Kings and Quinton Biffield has no trade protection and has yet to really break out in a huge way. Has not put up 60 points yet in the NHL. Um some pretty good success though otherwise. I’m gonna call Ken Holland and say, “I got a hockey trade for you. I’ve got this young championship winning defenseman who’s looking for a bigger role. He’s very talented. He was highly drafted. I’m going to give you Bo Byum. You’re going to give me Quinton Biffield, who is under contract, by the way, for several more years.” And big ifs. If you get both Chris Drury and Ken Holland to say yes to those hockey trades, what you have then done is traded JJ Purka and Bowen Byum for Keandre Miller and Quinton Biffield. size-wise, all the talk of the Sabres need to get bigger, the Sabres need to get meaner, more physical, you will have added 9 in of total height in that swap and 45 pounds between the two. You are getting two bigger, better defensive, more well-rounded players than Byum and Burka, who are gifted offensively. but lack that size, that physicality, and that allaround defensive game that the Sabres look like they need. That’s the swap. That’s the trade. Big ifs, big, you know, a lot that you need to have happen. The other thing that kind of makes this idea almost too good to be true, you don’t have to worry about anything about trade protections and a player vetoing a deal. Nobody in the trade has trade protection. Nobody. Keandre Miller, a restricted free agent. So, he doesn’t have any trade protection, doesn’t have a contract. He cannot become an unrestricted free agent until 2027. So, you have two years to get him onto a long-term contract or move him somewhere down the road. More, you know, you would be motivated though to make that a long-term relationship. He will sign a deal as an RFA. If he is skeptical about the idea of staying long-term in Buffalo, you still have two years, not just one, but two years of control. And Biffield, as I mentioned, kind of too good to be true. Quinton Biffield has six years left on his deal. He’s under contract till July of 2029. 22 years old, $6.25 million. And again, no trade protection until the 28-29 season, his final year under contract when he has a 10 team no trade list. He can’t say no. Miller can’t say no. What am I missing here? Other than, you know, you got to get two massive trades to to go through and you need two GMs to say yes to those. That’s the that’s the part that, you know, is unlikely to happen. But what doesn’t make sense here from a Saber standpoint? I love it. I absolutely love it. And that’s coming from somebody who has no qualms about JJ Purka as a player. And I absolutely want to see the Sabres sign him long term. I like Bo Byum as a player. I know he only gives you the elite production when he’s playing with Rasmus Dalene and that would make me skeptical to pay him, but all around I do like Byum’s game a lot more than the numbers would indicate that he gives you. With that both those things being said, I still love these trades and I would love to see them happen. If you are curious, you know, about some of the goals above replacement numbers and what some of the advanced stats say about these two players, on top of the size that you’re getting, as I mentioned, you are getting more well-rounded players. Quinton Biffield 82nd percentile defensively last year. Um, Keandre Miller 42nd percentile defensively, but I got a chart up from Evolving Hockey on our YouTube channel. If you see his goals above replacement was more than twice as worse as his expected goals above replacement. So maybe he got a little bit unlucky last season in some areas. Um so I’m not really worried about that. I think Miller is a better defensive defenseman and more likely to be an Owen Power partner going forward than Bo Byum is which I think we’ve already seen tested and that does not work. So let me know what you think about this deal. It is Byum to LA for Biffield. It is uh excuse me and it is um Purka to the Rangers for um Miller. Purka for Miller, Byum for Biffield. I love it. You let me know what you think about it when we come back. more on just generically the idea that Purka could be dealt this summer and what I would like to see have happen with Purka, you know, if this uh this double trade idea doesn’t let you know when we come back here on the Lockdown Sabers podcast. Today’s episode of the Lockdown Savers podcast is presented by wonderful pistachios. If you are looking for a snack that is both delicious and nutritious, crack into a good source of protein with Wonderful Pistachios. Wonderful pistachios are one of the highest protein nuts. Each 1oz serving has six grams of protein and that gives you over 10% of your daily value. Plus, they’re packed with fiber and better for you unsaturated fats to keep help keep you feeling fuller a lot longer. Personally, I love the No Shells variety. It is the perfect grab-and-go snack for those busy days, whether I’m snacking at my desk, um, getting ready for the podcast or if I’m on a road trip. Uh, if I’m driving an hour to golf, have a bag ready to go, get that quick protein boost. Always my go-to. And if you love cracking open every shell for that satisfying crunch, the inshell options are a classic as well. Um, the no shells, wonderful pistachios, grab and go ease, just grab a handful. That’s what I love going for. So get snacking and get cracking with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit wonderful pistachios.com today to learn more. Sneaky Jody Bassi back here on the Locked on Sabers podcast. You know, I like that trade idea so much. I think I’ll have to I might lead with it on WGR tomorrow morning because I am I’m kind of in love with it. I’m kind of in love with it. big good players. By field hasn’t put up the big numbers yet, but you know, 50 50 plus point seasons, back-to-back years. It’s not like he hasn’t done anything. Um, by the way, one thing you might be wondering about positionally, I’m good with Miller, left shot defenseman, playing on the left side, power on the right side, and then Biffield is more of a center, but has also played wing, and I would have no problem moving him to the wing. or if you want to try him back at center and move Kik to wing, you know, you you just have options. I’m never afraid of adding more center depth. Um because you could always move those guys to the wing and almost always it it works out. All right, JJ Purka. So, number one trade bait board listed guy on Frank Cavelli’s trade list for this summer. And we’ve talked about this a little bit, but Purka’s name, it it kind of is always out there as well, does this guy want to stay long-term? How committed is he to this city in this organization on the long term? He certainly is right now. There are no questions about his work ethic right now. There are no questions about him being motivated to produce right now. It’s just does he want to sign a seven, eightyear contract? That’s where there’s been some question. Um, and that’s why it’s not that stunning to me that you do see his name pop up here and there. I would imagine the source of that is the belief from other teams through Purka or more likely Purka’s agent obviously that yeah, he might not want to stay there for eight years that he’s not trying to get out right now, but you know, maybe in the future there is something and a team would want to get the jump on that if they like the player enough. And why wouldn’t you like JJ Purka as the player? Amazing five on five score. Still would like to see him get a little bit better on the power play. Um 27 goals last year, 28 goals the year before that. Took a big step up as a playmaker this past season. Um played almost two more minutes a night than he did the previous year. He took a big He took a step he took a step last season and took a big step the year before. So any team should want JJ Purka, especially at his age, 23 years old, you get contract control, everything kind of works in your favor if you’re able to acquire the player. Very valuable. If I’m the Buffalo Sabres, you know, son’s this double trade idea that I have, there’s not a lot of trade ideas out there that would make me want to trade JJ Purka. Even if I’m Kevin Adams and I want to do an eight-year deal with him right now and he’s like, “Uh, yeah, I’m not really looking to do that at this point in time.” Well, then what I would want the Sabres to do, what I would do if I were Kevin Adams in that moment is say, “Well, all right, let’s keep playing you. I’m not moving you unless somebody blows my socks off. Unless I get It would have to be a hockey trade. I am not, if I’m Kevin Adams, trading JJ Purka for picks and prospects under any circumstance. I am never ever ever even entertaining that idea. It does not help me at all for what I need for this organization. So, it would have to be that’s why I bring up Keandre Miller. It’s a needs to be a player that I know is going to step in and help me right away. And I also need to feel that it’s more likely that player, one of two things needs to be true because why else am I going to do the deal? That player needs to be a better fit for what I need on my team than JJ Purka is. Or I need to believe that that player is more likely to sign with me long term than JJ Purka is. I need one of those two things to be true or else there’s no point in me making the deal. So that’s where Miller comes up as an idea for me. Otherwise, I’m letting him play. Purka as an RFA this summer cannot become a UFA for I believe it’s at least two more seasons after this year. You’ve got some time to do this. You’ve got time to figure it out. And I would want to play that. Maybe not to the very end, but the summer before he can become an unrestricted free agent would be when I would really start to feel anxious and really start to feel motivated like I had to do something. Otherwise, is a good player. I’m still trying to score as many goals as possible. I know he could get better on the power play, but I’m hoping that that can be an internal solution for Purka that he could be a part of that improvement. So, I’m not moving off of him. So, when I see that he’s number one on that trade bait board, I don’t really think he’s going to get traded because I think the offer would kind of have to blow Kevin Adams socks off. And how likely is that to happen? You know, it could. I don’t want to say that it couldn’t. There was that rumor from the trade deadline. It wasn’t even just a rumor. It was from two credible NHL insiders, Frank Saravelli from Daily Face Off and Renault Lavois from TVA up in Canada. both tweeted out on trade deadline night, the night before trade deadline day, that Purka to the Rangers looked to be a done deal. That came from somewhere. It ended up being bogus. He did not get traded to the New York Rangers, but I’ve always been curious. Those guys are not affiliated with each other. They don’t work for the same company. Why did two credible insiders at the same time have the same information that ended up being wrong? Where did they get it? Who wanted them to know it? Who wanted people out there to know it? Because if you really evaluate that, it’s it’s maybe tough to figure out. You might argue the Sabres would be if if if they wanted to trade Purka or were willing to that they would be most motivated for that information to get out there because if another team interested in Purka saw, hey, Rangers are closing in on the deal. That’s how you get them to call you last minute to up their offer. But I don’t believe personally the Sabres were playing that game. And I don’t believe that they were willing to trade Purka. So, cross them off the list. I don’t think because of that logic that the Rangers benefit by having that information out there. So, I would cross them off the list. Um, Purka’s camp, his agent, where would he stand to benefit from putting that information out there? I guess the most it could be would be that it would tell everybody, hey, this guy’s available. But the way that that that’s not how you would do that. You wouldn’t say, well, this team is getting close to making a deal. And then of course the other possible answer, and I don’t think this is true, but it might it might have been that it was just the truth that the Rangers were closing in on a deal and that something last second stopped it. Whether that is ownership not signing off on it. Either side, Rangers, James Dolan or Savers, Terry Pigula, that there was a haggling about, you know, an extra draft pick one way or the or the other. That happened once upon a time way back when with Rasmus Stallion in the Winnipeg Jets. There was a wrist and deal that was seemingly done with the Jets that didn’t happen because the GMs were haggling about a mid-round pick. Sometimes you get something like that. So maybe that’s also a possibility is that those two reports maybe they were true and the reason it didn’t happen was they well they thought at that time that it was going to go through and then something last second stopped it. Also a possibility. I think the most likely I I guess I don’t know what the most likely outcome is. I don’t like any of these options. Maybe I’m missing one and there’s something out here that I didn’t mention that is more obvious for this. Um, but I I take seriously the idea that he could be dealt something could force the Saber’s hand because I do think it’s curious that two different reporters, both credible from two different networks, two different countries even both reported the same thing at the same time on trade deadline night. Someone was feeding them that information. All right, when we come back, Connor Clifton, not a player we talk about often. Got a text question about Connor Clifton. Hey, what’s going to happen with him? He’s under contract for three million bucks, 3.3 million bucks next season. What will happen with him? I’ve got the answer of what I hope happens with him. That when we come back here in the lockedown sabers podcast. Sneaky Jody Biosi back here on the Locked Sabres podcast. The Sabres uh getting ready for the draft, getting ready for free agency. The other newsy thing that I should have mentioned here about the Sabres is Jason Carmanos is going to stick with the organization. It appears there was a report from Lance Lysowski about a month ago that it looks as though Carmanos, associate GM of the Buffalo Sabres, GM of the Rochester Americans might be exiting the organization. Carmanos talking to Matthew Fairburn yesterday from The Athletic says, “Uh, I’ve got a year left on my contract and I haven’t been told different that I’m not working for this organization, so I’m still in this organization.” Now, that doesn’t mean he’ll stay. The Sabres once upon a time gave a vote of confidence in the media to their general manager and then fired him two weeks later. So, you never know. But for now, Carmanos appears to be sticking, which I I think is a good thing. I like Carmanos. Um, I like his resume. I think he is honestly the most qualified person that currently works in the Sabres hockey department. So, the idea of losing him to me didn’t sit great. Um, not to say he’s done everything perfect. The Amirs have done pretty well and that’s the team he’s in charge of. Um, you’d like to see more of a direct impact than the Sabres, but whatever. All right, Connor Clifton got a text question about this. If you would like to ever get a text question in, be sure to hit us up. Join sububtex.com/lockdownsavers is the place to sign up. Connor Clifton, it hasn’t gone great. It’s been two seasons and he’s been a healthy scratch at times. Signed away from the Boston Bruins. Remember, he was a healthy scratch for the Bruins at the end of his tenure there. Comes to the Sabres. He has played 152 games. He has 34 points. Not an offensive player at all. not what he’s asked to do, but he was expected to come in and be a solid defensive defenseman, be an option for the top four, or be a very good third pair defenseman. I would argue that neither has happened in the two years for the Buffalo Sabres. To me, I have not seen much of anything that excites me about his skill set and his game for this team. He is a guy that’ll stand up for teammates. He’ll throw his body around, but when it comes to puck management skills, when it comes to penalty killing, even when it comes to any sort of jumping up in the play offensively, I just don’t see any of it. I see just a guy and not somebody that I think is more than replacement level, but he is certainly paid like he is above replacement level at $3.3 million. The Sabres, I would like to see get some more cap room. They actually if they pay everybody and I don’t think they’ll pay Byum so I don’t think that will happen but if they did they’re right up against the cap. So creating a little bit of extra room would be nice. The cap going up even with that by the way said they would still be up against the cap if they just paid everybody about what their market value is. One place you get $3.3 million is by finding a way to dump Conor Clifton onto another team. Or you also would have the option this summer of buying him out. The buyout for Connor Clifton would be two years and you would have to pay him on the on the cap. Let’s do that first. on the cap, it would cost you $1.1 million this year and $1.1 million next year as opposed to the $3.3 million that you’d have on your books for this season. His base salary in a buyout. Um, total of 2.2 million. It’s the same as the Capit. We know the Sabres like to save money where they can. And I would imagine if you brought to Terry Pagula and the Savers brass, hey, this player’s not really helping us. We save cap dollars by buying him out and it’s a million dollars less than you have to pay him if we get rid of him right now. I kind of think that that’s a realistic possibility. I almost want to predict that’s what happens, that Connor Clifton gets bought out. And that to me is the thing I would like to see. I’d love to sit here and tell you, well, my favorite idea is to trade him, and maybe there’s a team out there that, you know, is looking for a skill set that Clifton offers and maybe he could get a seventh round pick. I I just I don’t think anybody wants him at that salary. And the Sabres do not retain salary. They’ve not done it in a trade in years. So, sure, if I’m Kevin Adams, if I’m even above that, I’m Terry Pagula, I’m going to trade Connor Clifton for a lowlevel draft pick, and I’ll take whatever salary back that you need. you want one half, you want the 1.6. I’ll retain the 1.6. Give me the draft pick. But I don’t expect that to happen. So, I think the best outcome and I think the most realistic outcome is that he’s bought out. Second to that would be he’s just on the team and he’s an option to play games for them this year. Maybe he’s a healthy scratch one way or another. Uh sometimes he is, sometimes he isn’t. I don’t need to see him on the roster though this year and I kind of hope that that’s not what ends up happening. Connor Clifton, there you go. Short and sweet. last year didn’t do much. Played 73 games, one goal, 15 assists, 16 minutes of ice time a night. Uh, and I’m good with with it being over after two years between the Sabres and him. All right, that’s going to do it for us today here on the Lockdown Sabres podcast. If you’ve got a text question or a trade idea that you’d like to get in, feel free. Or would love to hear if you like my double trade idea. I feel like I’m going to be mentioning it a lot. I I just I love it. I kind of love it again. Purka for Miller and B and uh Byum for Biffield is what I’m looking for. I think the best you really need the Kings to be in on that more than anybody because the Rangers seem just from Freriedman’s report more willing to part with Miller. All right, that’s going to do for us today. We’ll see if the Florida Panthers advance the Stanley Cup final tonight. Also talked a little Jeff Skinner yesterday and Zack Heyman gets injured for the Oilers last night. They have a couple of options at forward. They also could go 11 forward, 7D and bring Matias back home back in the lineup when he gets healthy. Uh I think you’re gonna see Jeff Skinner tomorrow and play see him play his first game since game one of the first round, but we’ll see. They have a young guy too that’s never played in the playoffs that that could play in the bottom six. They might put him there. Um but we’ll see. Skinner might get back in the lineup because the Oilers are going through some injuries. If you want more on all playoff stuff, be sure to check out our sister show Locked on NHL game night. That’s available wherever you get your podcast every game, every night until the Stanley Cup is awarded. Check it out wherever you listen to your podcast. And we’ll talk to you tomorrow here on the Lockdown Sabers podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

JJ Peterka is not a player that Buffalo Sabres fans want to see traded, but with rumors about his availability, Sneaky Joe has a hockey trade that might convince people there’s a Peterka-trade out there that works for the Sabres. However, it includes trading away Bowen Byram in a separate deal. Insert K’Andre Miller and Quinton Byfield into the conversation. Joe puts together a deal with the Rangers and a deal with the Kings, in which the Sabres get bigger, better defensively, and retain a lot of skill.

Plus, why a Connor Clifton buyout is a great idea, and maybe a likely outcome this offseason.

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