We know why Bowen Byram wants to leave the Sabres

When the magical season ended for the Buffalo Sabres, there didn't seem to be any awareness that Bowen Byram might want to leave.

But now, Byram apparently doesn't want to sign a long-term deal with the Sabres, which has put him in the middle of a lot of trade rumors.

Byram is a talented defenseman who will draw a lot of interest.

It's just a bit surprising that he'd be ready to leave what had turned into a really good thing in Buffalo.

Turns out, the reasoning is pretty individualized.

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Why does Bowen Byram want to leave the Sabres?

The latest indication is that Byram simply wants to be in a more highly regarded role.

"The Sabres are also seeing what they can get back for Bowen Byram, who is looking for a bigger role as a No. 1 defenseman," a trio of ESPN insiders wrote on Tuesday. "Byram has a lot of fans across the league, so that could be a splashy trade."

The good news for the Sabres is that Byram is likely one of the best couple players available in a deal this offseason. He could bring back a huge haul.

The bad news, though, is that Buffalo had built up such impressive blue line depth, and losing Byram would be quite the bummer in that context.

The Sabres have a lot of young and talented forwards, but it seemed the defensive unit was set and didn't need to count on any promotions anytime soon.

If Byram moves, Buffalo will have to figure out the defensive pairings again, and another team will end up with a really good player.

Nothing is a given here, but it certainly seems like Byram could end up being on the move.

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• Sabres have reached the Alex Tuch pivot point
• Sidney Crosby trade plans did a 180 for the Penguins