The Colorado Avalanche were rather active at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Colorado made a few moves to add depth to their lineup prior to March 8. However, they made two significant moves to boost their playoff odds. Here, we'll hand out NHL trade grades for their deal sending Bowen Byram to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt.
Trades like this are always interesting. Both teams are trading a relatively young player who entered the league as a first-round pick. Which team does this best in this deal? How will the two players fit with their new teams? Let's get into the grading.
Avalanche trade for Casey Mittelstadt
The Avalanche had one major need to address at the NHL Trade Deadline. Colorado needed a second-line center who could drive play and create offense behind Nathan MacKinnon. The Ryan Johansen experiment simply did not work out this season. Mittelstadt, however, should work out just fine.
The 25-year-old has scored 14 goals and 47 points so far this year. Last season, he posted a career-high 15 goals and 59 points for a Sabres team that nearly made the playoffs. Buffalo has disappointed this year, but Mittelstadt has proven that last season was no fluke.
He goes to an Avalanche team looking to chase the Stanley Cup once again. He slots in on Colorado's second line with Jonathan Drouin and Valeri Nichushkin where he should have no problems producing offensively. Colorado believes Mittelstadt has another gear to him, and he has every opportunity to reach that gear.
Sabres trade for Bowen Byram
It wasn't long ago that Bowen Byram dominated the Stanley Cup Final. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022 over the Tampa Bay Lightning. And Byram is a major reason why Colorado won it all that year. However, things haven't gone so well after he raised the Cup.
Byram has struggled with injuries throughout his career. His development hasn't gone as many thought as a result. However, he has played 56 games this season, which is a career high. We already know what the 22-year-old can do when he is on his game. If he remains healthy, this is a home run for the Sabres.
Buffalo was in a position to trade Mittelstadt given the contracts given to Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens. That said, they did trade the best player in this deal. That factors into the grade given at the end of the day. Still, Buffalo is receiving a young player who was vital to a Stanley Cup-winning team. Pairing him with Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin could give the Sabres one of the best defensive cores in the league.
Grades and final thoughts
The Avalanche receive the highest grade in this trade. Acquiring Casey Mittelstadt gives them the second-line center they desperately need. Colorado has greatly improved their odds in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Trading Byram hurts, but they can deal with it at the end of the day.
The Sabres, meanwhile, receive a high grade in their own right. However, it is lower than the grade given to the Avalanche. Buffalo not only traded the best player in this deal, but also their leading scorer. Bowen Byram is certainly a fine player to receive in return for Mittelstadt. That said, losing their leading scorer in order to get him is a rather steep price to pay. Even if Buffalo isn't a playoff contender.
Colorado Avalanche grade: A
Buffalo Sabres grade: B+
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