Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams sent a message to fellow NHL executives on Wednesday.
Adams, in a scrum with Buffalo reporters posted by Matthew Bove of WKBW, said he'll match any offer sheet for defenceman Bowen Byram.
The restricted free agent has been the subject of many trade rumours this off-season.
When asked if he'll match any offer sheet, Adams said: "Absolutely.
"That's why the moves we've made and the position we've put ourselves in from a cap perspective have been strategic. If you leave just enough room in your cap where you'll maybe see a projection on a one-year deal and someone comes over the top, you're potentially putting your organization in a really tough spot.
"So the moves we've made and decisions we've made for weeks now leading up to this point is with that in mind. We'll be matching and have the opportunity to have a player under contract we think helps us win."
Having said that, Adams said he's willing to listen to trade offers.
"I've maintained the same position that if there's a deal out there that makes sense for us that we think is going to improve our roster, we're open to it," he said. "If there's not, we're not in a situation where we're looking to move him out or looking to move him out for futures and stuff like that. For me, we want to help our team win hockey games and he does that."
The Sabres dealt JJ Peterka, previously an RFA, to the Utah Mammoth last month before the forward signed a five-year deal with the latter club.
The Sabres have missed the playoffs the past 14 years and are desperate to end the NHL's longest post-season drought.
Byram, 24, had seven goals and 31 assists in 82 games last season.
The Sabres acquired Byram in a deal for Casey Mittelstadt with the Colorado Avalanche in March of 2024.
