One month ago, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen sat at the podium after the Buffalo Sabres were eliminated from the 2026 NHL Playoffs and expressed interest in signing defenseman Bowen Byram to a long-term contract extension.
Byram was traded just 34 days later. The 25-year-old defenseman and winger Jordan Greenway were sent to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a second-round selection (No. 45) and blueliner Louis Crevier.
The move sent a clear message to the Sabres locker room: Either you're with us on this journey to hunt down a Stanley Cup championship or you're an expendable piece. The days of Kevyn Adams' indecision, and inability to think outside the box, are firmly in the rearview mirror.
"He didn't want to sign with us," Kekalainen told reporters Wednesday.
Byram previously hinted at his desire to eventually become a full-time first-pair defenseman and No. 1 power-play quarterback. Those opportunities weren't going to become available in Buffalo due to the presence of captain Rasmus Dahlin.
The Canadian, coincidentally selected No. 4 overall in 2019 by the Colorado Avalanche, was also aiming for a significant salary boost from his current $6.25 million AAV. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet recently reported the final number could go as high as $12 million per year.
That was never going to work for the Sabres. As a result, Kekalainen immediately started working the phones and delivered a low-risk, high-reward trade that created some much-needed flexibility under the salary cap for the front office.
It was quick. It was decisive. And Buffalo is in a much better place for the rest of the summer because of it.
A similar story, on a much smaller scale, played out with fellow defender Michael Kesselring, who was acquired last offseason from the Utah Mammoth as part of the JJ Peterka trade.
Kesselring battled injuries all season and he'd fallen down the Blue and Gold's depth chart by the time he'd returned closer to full strength. He's a restricted free agent who's one year from UFA status. He wanted an opportunity at guaranteed playing time in 2026-27 to restore his value.
No problem. Kekalainen traded the 26-year-old right-shot defenseman to the San Jose Sharks to move up from No. 27 to No. 20 in the first round of this week's draft. No drama, or waiting too long to make a deal, which was a hallmark of the Adams Era in the Buffalo front office.
The Sabres still have plenty of work left this offseason. They need to re-sign RFA forwards Zach Benson and Peyton Krebs, attempt to bring back UFA winger Beck Malenstyn and should be in the trade market for a first-line center (and maybe a goalie upgrade).
Kekalainen's actions since Buffalo's first playoff appearance since 2011 should give the diehard fanbase ample confidence in the longtime executive's ability to successfully carry out those steps to ensure it doesn't become a one-off postseason berth.
It sets the stage for an exciting couple of months for the Sabres and their fans, a stretch that includes hosting the draft starting Friday night at the KeyBank Center.
Should Jarmo Kekalainen keep or trade the Buffalo Sabres' newly acquired first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft?
The first thought after Kekalainen pulled off the shocking blockbuster trade with the Hawks was whether he'd quickly flip the No. 4 pick for immediate NHL help. The Sabres are approaching win-now mode and that's an extremely valuable asset. That's also true for the No. 20 selection.
Perhaps a more measured approach is the way to go, though.
This year's draft class is strong, and Buffalo can land prospects with true game-changing upside by holding both of its first-rounders. We projected the club to select defenseman Chase Reid and forward Nikita Klepov in our seven-round mock draft.
The Sabres finally ended their 14-year playoff drought, the longest such streak in NHL history. Now the task is building a sustainable winner. Creating an environment where there's always a cache of young players ready to fill voids created by players departing via trades and free agency.
Buffalo is entering a legitimate contention window and, while there's always an urge to instantly shift toward an all-in mentality when that's the case, making sure that window stays open as long as possible is just as important when it comes to a Cup pursuit.
So, it's hard to argue against the idea of adding prized prospects like Reid and Klepov to the system. It'd also give Kekalainen to ability to use other young players, like Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund and/or Radim Mrtka, as part of a monster trade if the right top-line center becomes available.
That speaks to the overall theme of the franchise's situation since Tuesday night's trade: flexibility.
The Sabres didn't have much of it before the headline-making swap with the Blackhawks. Now they have $21.3 million in cap space (via PuckPedia), some roster malleability and the option to either flip their draft picks for proven NHL talent or merely select the best prospects available.
That's a promising position to stand in, especially as fears rose about Buffalo potentially taking a step back next season if it wasn't able to have an active, successful offseason with UFA winger Alex Tuch likely on the way out of Western New York.
"He's going to be missed, but we'll be fine," Kekalainen said Wednesday.
Yes, the Blue and Gold must now add finding a second-pairing defenseman to their summer to-do list, but they have a lot more ammunition, both in terms of assets and money, to get all their needs filled.
Full credit to Kekalainen for pulling off a trade that most analysts view as heavily lopsided in the Sabres' favor. Now his goal is trying to do it again (and again).
Every ounce of talent he can add to the roster will help as Buffalo faces immense competition in the Atlantic Division, with the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs making splashes of their own in an effort to climb back up the standings alongside the Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning.
If the right move is on the table to flip the No. 4 and/or No. 20 overall picks for bona fide superstar, Kekalainen shouldn't hesitate. But there's certainly nothing wrong with keeping those selections to continue building up a vastly improved prospect pool.
One thing's for sure: It's an exciting time to be a Sabres fan.
Add us as a preferred source on Google