Aside from defenseman Will Butcher, the Buffalo Sabres will be having a conversation with center Blaine Byron as well. Byron became a free agent yesterday as well after not signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him 179th overall in the 6th round of the 2013 NHL Draft.
The forward scored 41 points as a senior for the University of Maine this last season. He consistently led or was near the top of the scoring charts for the Black Bears in his four years there, finishing up with 108 points in 141 games, mostly against better competition in the Hockey East where Maine were frequently outmatched.