Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen expressed interest in signing Bowen Byram to a contract extension during his season-ending press conference. The 25-year-old defenseman is now popping up in the NHL trade rumor mill.
It's pretty simple to deduce the initial conversations between Kekalainen and Byram's agent, Darren Ferris, didn't go too well.
Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet reported some behind-the-scenes details of the negotiations, including the Canadian blueliner's sky-high contract hopes.
"Byram is being shopped by the Sabres going into the draft as he's made it clear to them he's not prepared to make a long-term commitment at this point," Kypreos wrote Monday. "With the recent signing of Darren Raddysh in Toronto, look for Byram to sit tight and wait on new contracts for Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar before setting his price point on an extension that could start as high $12 million AAV."
That's nearly double Byram's current $6.25 million salary, and it'd make him the highest-paid defenseman on the Sabres ahead of captain Rasmus Dahlin ($11 million). He has one year left on his current contract.
Ferris has a reputation of strongly urging his clients to test the NHL free-agent market, which is usually the best way to maximize their financial windfall.
In addition, Byram previously hinted at his desire the eventually become a full-time first-pairing defenseman and a No. 1 power-play quarterback. He isn't going to overtake Dahlin for those roles in Buffalo, which is likely another factor in why the contract talks didn't progress.
The end result will probably be a trade, possibly before the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday night but no later than the 2027 NHL trade deadline next season. Dealing him before the new campaign gets underway would increase the Sabres' trade return.
Bowen Byram's potential trade departure changes the Radim Mrtka discussion for the Buffalo Sabres
Entering the summer, it appeared the Sabres' preferred path forward was re-signing Byram to solidify him as part of their top-four defense group alongside Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson. They were the engine behind the club's success in 2025-26.
If that was the case, Buffalo would have likely been willing to part with top defensive prospect Radim Mrtka, a 6-foot-6 blueliner taken with the No. 9 overall pick in last year's draft, as it looked to upgrade its forward lines this offseason.
Now the conversation is changing.
Should Byram ultimately get traded, and it's certainly trending in that direction, the Sabres will suddenly be running thin behind Dahlin, Power and Samuelsson on the depth chart. Their No. 4 defenseman on paper would be Conor Timmins.
Yes, Kekalainen could find some short-term solutions via trade or free agency, but the club's long-term defensive foundation would suddenly have a significant crack.
It may lead Mrtka to remain in the Buffalo organization, and it might even cause the Blue and Gold to push him toward the NHL level a little earlier than expected.
The 19-year-old Czechia native wrapped up his WHL tenure with 34 points (one goal and 33 assists) across 43 appearances for the Seattle Thunderbirds this season. He then joined the AHL's Rochester Americans for the stretch run of the regular season and the playoffs.
Mrtka was tentatively expected to spend most, if not all, of the 2026-27 campaign with the Amerks, giving him a year of development against professional opponents before making the NHL jump.
If Byram departs without an obvious replacement being brought in, it's possible the 2025 first-rounder starts the new season in Buffalo, not Rochester.
Whether that's the best outcome for the prospect's on-ice growth is up for debate, but nobody else currently on the Sabres' organizational depth chart is better suited to take on a second-pair role alongside Power.
To his credit, Mrtka held his own throughout NHL training camp and the preseason last year, so perhaps he'd exceed expectations if thrust into that key lineup spot. It'd still be a risky bet for a team playing in the league's toughest division, the Atlantic.
So, in the end, there's still a chance the Sabres take Byram down the same "own rental" path they did with Alex Tuch. They don't want to take a substantial step back next season after finally bringing their miserable 14-year playoff drought to an end.
Losing high-profile UFAs to the open market every summer without getting anything in return isn't a winning asset-management approach over the long haul, though.
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