What Colorado gets in Sean Walker, Casey Mittelstadt, and Buffalo's bold play for Bowen Byram

In a flurry of trade activity around the league on Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche reshaped their roster the most, completing two deals that upgraded an area of need at forward and brought in one of the top available defencemen. But it also cost them a talented young defenceman.

In Colorado's first move they picked up Sean Walker from Philadelphia, a top-four, 29-year-old defenceman on an expiring contract. While he was on the ice at 5-on-5 this season, the Flyers controlled over 55 per cent of all shots and goals scored and was one of their overall most impactful defencemen. The Flyers were able to re-sign Nick Seeler on Wednesday, taking him off the market, but trading Walker as the team sits third in the Metropolitan Division reaffirms management's plan to take a long term approach constructing this roster.

Philadelphia retained 50 per cent of Walker's expiring cap hit and, in return, picked up Colorado's unprotected 2025 first-round pick and struggling veteran centre Ryan Johansen, who was subsequently put on waivers by the Flyers.

That trade made Colorado's defence all the more deep, but their most pressing need at the deadline was for a second line centre, and that remained unaddressed...for a few minutes.

Shortly after announcing the Walker trade, Colorado made a shocking deal with Buffalo, sending Bowen Byram to the Sabres for that missing centre, Casey Mittelstadt. For Buffalo, Mittelstadt is their scoring leader this season with 47 points in 62 games and he's a highly regarded 25-year-old who's turned a corner the past two seasons. But, with Buffalo already committing big money, long-term contracts to centres Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens, Mittelstadt became expendable in this sort of trade, one that would meaningfully shake up a disappointing group that didn't involve far-off futures.

"The only way for me it makes sense this time of year to make a trade with a core player is if we're going to upgrade our team maybe at a different position," Sabres GM Kevyn Adams recently told The Athletic. "Previously I would say there's players who are part of your core, but you really need prospects and draft picks. That's not where we are right now. That is not something I'm interested in doing, moving a core player for that type of return."

When Byram is healthy he's proven capable of playing up to top pairing minutes as an effective puck mover and great-skating offensive driver and it wasn't all that long ago he was one of the top picks in his draft. But injuries have followed Byram's young career to this point, including a couple of concussions. Along with Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, Byram is an intriguing addition to the Sabres' young blue line mix with one more season on his contract before becoming an RFA again. As is the case with the Sabres organization, Byram oozes potential.

But as far as buying contenders go, Colorado was the biggest mover on Wednesday. With Walker on the back end and Mittelstadt presumably moving to the 2C role, they have significantly reshaped a strong group and left room for more work. By going from Byram to Walker on the back end, the Avs more or less move sideways this season, but these moves also opened up more cap space with Johansen's departure. Colorado still has about $3 million in AAV space to use by Friday, per CapFriendly. They're also holding out hope captain Gabriel Landeskog can return during the playoffs.

With more on all the key players in these two trades, we turn to our scout Jason Bukala.

SCOUT'S ANALYSIS

To Colorado: Casey Mittelstadt, Sean Walker

On the surface I understand what Colorado is strategizing with the acquisition of Mittelstadt. He’s an upgrade on Johansen offensively and should make Colorado’s top nine forwards more difficult to match up against when the playoffs roll around.

My concern with Mittelstadt, until he proves to me differently come playoffs, is whether or not he’s programmed for more heavy lifting in hard games. I don’t need him to chase the game for hits. I’m looking for him to grind out more shifts in the hard areas of the ice. Especially considering the reality there isn’t any easy ice come playoff time.

Giving up Byram in the transaction is a tough pill to swallow in my opinion. Top four defencemen who have the pace, hockey sense, and compete to be used in all situations don’t grow on trees. Here's my latest scouting report on Mittelstadt:

• Element is offence. Trending full-time second line forward. Great stick, puck touch, and sees the ice in the offensive zone

• Occasionally a threat in transition, but not a consistent play-driver

• Does his best work from the perimeter in the offensive zone

• Not a ton of physical push back or grind to his game

• Credited with only 14 hits and 23 shot blocks

•. Average defensively. Wins 47 per cent of his draws.

• Pending RFA with arbitration rights. Qualifying offer set at $2.6 million.

The good news for Colorado is that they also acquired Sean Walker from the Philadelphia Flyers. I truly believe Walker can add an element of stability to the Avs defence that is, at least, equal to Byram for now. Byram is the better player long term, but Walker is capable of filling his role for the next couple months.

Here’s my most recent scouting report on Walker:

• In the five-game segment before trade deadline, Walker's average ice time spiked to a season high. He played anywhere from 18:36 - 23:36 and was deployed in all situations.

• Best described as a two-way defenceman who will occasionally lead the rush or join as an extra layer off the puck

• Competes defensively. Involved. Can slide into a second pairing role if required. Coveted right shot.

• Expiring contract. Pending UFA.

To Buffalo: Bowen Byram

I have to be honest, this trade caught me by surprise!

I’m curious to see how Buffalo plans to deploy their defence pairings with the addition of Byram. The good news is Byram, a left shot, has played his off-side, so he can easily slot in with either Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power.

Another thing to consider is the fact the Sabres will have some big decisions to make in the near future. Having Power, Dahlin, and Byram on their roster is a positive, but paying all three of them could, in time, be a challenge similar to what Ottawa is going through with their three left shots in Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson and Jakob Chychrun.

Here’s my most recent scouting report on Byram:

• Middle pairing 'D' in Colorado before being traded to Buffalo

• Excellent skater. A two-way defenceman with a transitional element.

• Closes on opponents effectively in the defensive zone. Takes time and space away with quickness and an active stick.

• Mid-range physicality and shot blocking. Credited with 60 hits and 75 shot blocks in 55 games.

• One year remaining on current contract. $3.85M AAV

• Top pairing upside if he remains healthy and on current trajectory.