Bowen Byram wanted an opportunity to become a full-time first-pairing defenseman and a No. 1 power-play quarterback. His representatives, led by agent Darren Ferris, saw this year's weak free-agent market as a chance to capitalize.
That's why, despite initial suggestions from Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen that he'd like to re-sign Byram (a 2027 UFA), the focus quickly shifted toward a trade, which led to the 25-year-old blueliner landing with the Chicago Blackhawks.
"The interesting thing about Byram is he had a year left on his deal and he wasn't interested in re-signing in Buffalo," a separate, unnamed NHL agent told ESPN's Ryan S. Clark. "That allowed him to create a sort of mini free agency for himself at a time when the league was flush with cap space and there were no significant players on the market."
The approach worked to perfection for the former Colorado Avalanche star.
Not only will he immediately become the top defenseman in Chicago, but the Hawks gave him a six-year, $75 million contract extension ($12.5 million AAV) as a massive bet on his untapped potential.
Byram was a valuable contributor across two-plus seasons in Buffalo. He tallied 89 points (21 goals and 68 assists) across 182 appearances for the Blue and Gold, and he was particularly effective as a play-driver in transition to create opportunities off the rush.
Yet, the 6-foot-1 Canadian always felt more like a complementary piece than a perennial Norris Trophy candidate, such as Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. And there's simply no way the organization could have paid him $12.5 million a year to play a secondary role on the blue line.
The Sabres secured strong value in the trade, too. They received the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (used to select defensive prospect Daxon Rudolph), the No. 45 selection (later traded to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Olen Zellweger) and fellow blueliner Louis Crevier. They were also able to dump Jordan Greenway's bloated contract for 2026-27 on Chicago.
So, in the end, it's a situation that played out well for everybody involved.
Byram gets his desired role, the Blackhawks fill a major hole on their defensive depth chart (albeit with some risk involved given the size of the extension) and Buffalo received a nice return package by moving him a year before free agency.
How is the Buffalo Sabres' blue line shaping up ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season?
The Sabres' top-four defense group (Dahlin, Byram, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson) was the driving force behind much of the club's success in 2025-26, which is why there was some hesitancy among fans about trading Byram.
Buffalo has done a nice job of trying to replace him in the aggregate, though. Here's a quick look at how the team's defensive pairs are currently shaping up:
Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|
Mattias Samuelsson | Rasmus Dahlin |
Owen Power | Conor Timmins |
Olen Zellweger | Louis Crevier |
Dennis Gilbert | Zach Metsa |
Head coach Lindy Ruff will likely use somewhat of a hybrid approach, though.
What that means is Power will probably operate with a couple different partners on any given night. The Sabres could use Timmins on the second pair in defensive situations and put Zellweger out there with the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft for offensive-zone faceoffs.
Zellweger has the skill set to replace the transition and attacking attributes of Byram, but there's real uncertainty about whether he can make significant strides defensively given his 5-foot-10 frame.
Crevier (6'8'', 228 pounds) was an intriguing pickup for Buffalo, and he could usurp Timmins for that more defensive-minded role next to Power with a strong start to his first season in Western New York.
Beyond that, it's pretty straightforward.
Dahlin and Samuelsson will work together on the top pair after a highly successful 2025-26 campaign, while Gilbert and Metsa are set to compete for the No. 7 defenseman reserve role.
If the various options next to Power don't work out, it's a situation where the Sabres may find themselves back in the trade market searching for a blueliner at the 2027 deadline. They have a deep prospect pool at the position, but most of those players are still at least a year (or more) away.
So, it's certainly possible Byram's presence is missed, even if making the trade with Chicago was undoubtedly the right move for Buffalo.
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