Yep, both trades have some good logic behind them.

I have no problem with Byram for Mitts, I just wonder if Buffalo would do it since they have LHD already. Ithink they'd prefer finding a young shut down RHD but who knows

I posted in another thread, Olofson does not fit on the Avs. Too much salary, esp for a highly protected F (57% OZ starts) with bad metrics. The Avs will have too many wings soon with Nuke coming back, Kovalenko coming in March.

Byram for Mitts almost works, but then Mitts becomes very hard to sign if Landeskog comes back next year.

Sounds like MTL is comfortable waiting until offseason to trade Allen, so I don't think a Ryjo/Allen swap happens, it doesn't happen until then and it means both COL and MTL were left with no better option.

You can think about mony during the offseason for Landeskog imo. And for Olofsson, it is just a contingency just in case, just like Parise is also.

I feel COL will need a good backup this year and not next season, while Mtl is in clear need of Center depth this year also. Thats why I see a fit

Your reasoning makes sense, so it's definitely possible. The issue for COL is they need a C more and that requires the $ from moving Ryjo. Taking Allen back uses up that space.

So the Avs fill a need at 2C (and should just figure out the money in the offseason? do I have that right?) while opening up a massive hole on D to be filled by EJ while also giving up a 1st? Do I also have that correct? And they also are paying their new backup MORE than their starter? IDK, sounds like a great deal but I'm going to have to say: pass.

Avs decline both trades. Plain dreadful.

Sabres AND Avs decline this garbage
It doesn’t work for EITHER side 🤮🤮🤮

Trading Mittestadt is very low on my priority list.
Getting a LHD (Bowen Byram) when Buffalo has Dahlin, Power, Samuelson and Ryan Johnson who are all 23 yo or younger is not a top priority.
Even lower among Buffalo needs is a 22 yo RW who has zero NHL experience.
With all that said, as much as I like Casey adding defensemen (RHD would be better) and first round picks gets my interest.
Replace Beaucage with Johansen would actually be more palatable to me.
Buffalo is playing Bryson at LHD so Byram would replace him, and Johansen would take Casey's spot as 3rd line center at for the next two years.
It will not make Buffalo a playoff team as this season has not gone well and maybe a change is needed.
Maybe the first round pick and other assets would interest another team to trade a young RHD to Buffalo.