Custance "100 percent" believes Sabres' Myers is available

Craig Custance was on Buffalo’s WGR 550 on Wednesday morning.

On the latest rumor the L.A. Kings may have interest in Tyler Myers, and what he’s hearing on the Myers front:

“Well, I’m hearing what you guys are hearing in that the price is very high. I spoke with one team that I thought would be interested and they hadn’t had conversations in a long time with Tim Murray. In part because I think their first run at it, the asking price was pretty steep.

“And rightfully so. When you talk to other general managers about Tim Murray and the position he’s in, they certainly don’t blame him for asking for the moon at this point because he has all the leverage. He can sit there and especially with a guy like Tyler Myers, he’s not forced to make any deals. Now if this was a guy with an expiring contract, he can sit there and wait for the best deal possible. I don’t blame him for taking this stance.”

On if there might be a young, budding goaltender in the mix coming Buffalo’s way in any Myers trade:

“Well, you look at the L.A. Kings. They certainly have one in backup Martin Jones.

“It’s interesting though. I think the return for Tyler Myers depends on the team making the deal. So let’s say you’re making a deal with the Detroit Red Wings, for instance. I’m not sure that there’s a goalie that would be part of that deal because their strength is on the wing with their prospects, and if you’re trying to get the best return possible, you’re targeting one those guys. And maybe an NHL player. Maybe a pick.

“So I think is really is dependent on the player. And I think the Sabres have to be smart here. It’s about maximizing return. They’re not at a point in the rebuild where you need to necessarily target a position in these deals. You need to get the best deal possible back and then worry about needs and wants as you get closer to winning. So yeah, in a perfect world maybe getting a goalie back. But I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary.”

On if he believes Tyler Myers is truly available:

“I 100 percent believe he’s available. But I agree with Tim Murray, in that you don’t necessarily have to be shopping a guy for him to be on the trade market. I mean, we’ve heard this with other guys.

“I’ll use Keith Yandle as an example. I’m not sure the Coyotes have been shopping him. But you’ve heard his name in trade talk now forever. It seems like you can’t have a trade deadline without Keith Yandle rumors. And I think the Coyotes kind of took the perception as, ‘If we’re swept off our feet for a Keith Yandle deal, we have to listen.’

“And I think the Sabres are the same way. Yes, Tyler Myers is a good, young defenseman. Those are the kind of guys you want around for the rebuild. But if a team is going to come at you with a deal that makes you better, you certainly have to listen. And the Sabres aren’t in a position to say no to those kind of deals.”

On if Myers is the kind of trade that can be made on draft day:

“Oh yeah. That’s a great example. He’s a deal that maybe you wait until the off-season, when you can expand your market a little bit. I think there’s two frames of thought here.

“Going back to Yandle. I think he’s a guy if you’re the Arizona Coyotes, you trade him now because his value is higher. Because this summer, now all of the sudden he’s a rental because he only has one year left on his deal. You’re not getting two playoffs out of him.

“A guy like Tyler Myers, or any of the young players in Edmonton, I think they’re in the same boat, in that you’re trying to maximize return for him. You wait until you can have the broadest possible audience in those trade talks, and I think that happens at the draft.”

Source: WGR 550/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey

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