The New York Rangers are fighting for a playoff spot, but the team’s roster could see significant changes in the offseason.
Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, which allows users to create their own trade scenarios, one user proposed a major four-player offseason deal between the Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres that would bring defenseman Bowen Byram to New York.
Proposed Trade:
Rangers receive:
- Bowen Byram
- Jacob Bernard-Docker
- 2026 fourth-round pick (via Edmonton)
Sabres receive:
- Braden Schneider
- Chris Kreider
- 2026 third-round pick
If this trade were to happen, the Rangers would bring in two young defensemen and a draft pick while shedding Kreider’s contract and parting with Schneider and a draft selection.
Byram is in the final year of a two-year, $7.7 million contract and will be a restricted free agent (RFA). The user suggests that New York could sign him to a two-year deal worth $4.75 million per season. So far this season, Byram has posted seven goals and 25 assists for 32 points in 65 games.
Bernard-Docker, also a pending RFA, is projected to sign a two-year contract worth $900,000 annually. The 23-year-old has recorded one goal and three assists in 25 games split between Buffalo and Ottawa.
Buffalo, on the other hand, would receive Schneider, a highly regarded young defenseman who could step in to fill Byram’s role. Schneider is in the first season of a two-year, $4.4 million contract and has contributed five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 67 games.
The Sabres would also take on Kreider, who is in the fifth season of a seven-year, $45.5 million deal. His name has surfaced in trade rumors, particularly since he has registered 18 goals and four assists for 22 points in 53 games this season.
Kreider Addresses Trade Speculation
With the Rangers underperforming this season, Kreider’s future with the team has been uncertain. Trade rumors circulated from November through the deadline, though no deal materialized. Despite the speculation, Kreider remains focused on hockey.
“I’m not privy to that information. I worry about what’s right in front of me, and right now, it’s Winnipeg,” Kreider said. “I’m happy to be here, enjoyed my time here, and I’ll continue to try to help this team win hockey games.”
Rangers general manager Chris Drury declined to discuss any conversations he had with Kreider about potential trades.
“I’m certainly not going to get into private talks I have with teams,” Drury said. “But I’m really excited that Chris is here.”
The Rangers currently hold the final Wild Card spot with a 33-28-6 record.
Sabres GM Remains Optimistic
Meanwhile, Buffalo is on track to miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season. Despite the disappointment, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams remains confident in the team’s future.
“What I can tell you, and I can tell our fans this, I promise our guys care,” Adams said. “It has not gone well this year. This is not a group of players that doesn’t respect the game, doesn’t want to be in Buffalo. We’re not where we need to be, and I’m going to do everything in my power to fix it.”
At the trade deadline, Buffalo made moves to strengthen the roster, acquiring Josh Norris and Bernard-Docker while extending Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway.
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