Alright, this one sounds ludicrous. I get it. Because there's no way Jordan Kyrou's waiving a full no-trade clause to join the Buffalo Sabres, a bad hockey team that managed to get worse, right?
The proposed trade I made yesterday when I talked about the Blues swapping Kyrou with their division rival, the Dallas Stars, for Jason Robertson, sounds way more realistic. Kyrou just helped the Blues make the playoffs, so why play for the Sabres? Even if they're basically the Blues twin after St. Louis' latest and much-needed rebrand.
Yeah, it makes no sense, right? But, put it this way - the Sabres have talented youngsters who could join the Blues core at a reduced rate. Plus, the Sabres would have one of the best top lines in all of hockey, with Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Kyrou, if this trade came into fruition.
That might be enough to entice Kyrou, especially when you have talent like Ryan McLeod and a resurging Jason Zucker on the second line, alongside maybe Jiri Kulich if the Sabres are cool with kicking him out to play wing. That's a very good, and very underrated, top six. Plus, they have a wild card in Josh Norris.
Jordan Kyrou might ultimately be a good fit for the Sabres if the Blues try to trade him there
Add in a physical bottom six that includes Jordan Greenway, Justin Danforth, Peyton Krebs, and Beck Malenstyn, and suddenly, the Sabres don't look like a half-bad destination for Kyrou. Plus, you can add in high-potential players like Josh Doan, Zach Benson, and Jack Quinn, and there's a lot to like about Buffalo with Kyrou factoring in as JJ Peterka's ultimate replacement.
So, if I were Kyrou, I'm looking at the situation in Buffalo, knowing I can be the missing link for a franchise that's struggled for nearly a decade and a half. Plus, I'd also know that I'd be an upgrade over Peterka, who's solid, but nowhere near Tier 2 or even Tier 1 status in the NHL. Yet, anyway, even if he moves up a rung this season over in Utah.
Now, the burning question is, what do the Sabres give the Blues? Adam Proteau of The Hockey Writers mentioned Bowen Byram, and I agree. The Blues have an aging blue line, and Byram would remedy that, even if more needs to be done for St. Louis to transform into perennial playoff contenders.
The Blues would need more than Bowen Byram as compensation
In this scenario, I'd also ask for a first-round pick if I'm Doug Armstrong, plus a high-end prospect, someone like Konsta Helenius. If I had to throw in a mid-round pick to complete the trade, I'd have no problem doing so.
So, this would give the Blues a top-four blueliner, a player who may be a year away from full-time status in the NHL in Helenius, plus a first-round pick. And again, if I'm Kyrou, I'm taking a long look at what the Sabres could be on paper and would be just fine with the situation over there.
That said, maybe we'll see Kyrou trade in blue and gold for another set of blue and gold. We'll see what happens.
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