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Buffalo gets back the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft as part of a three-piece package
Boston, Mass. – Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bo Byram skates against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 3 of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026.
Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) – With defenseman Bo Byram reportedly having no intension of re-signing with the Buffalo Sabres when his contract runs out next season, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen maximized his value on Tuesday night by trading him to the Chicago Blackhawks, along with winger Jordan Greenway.
In return, the Sabres receive for the fourth overall pick in Friday's first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, a second-round pick on Saturday (45th overall) and 6-foot-8 defenseman Louis Crevier.
Byram was looking for an opportunity to be a No. 1 defenseman, which wasn't going to happen in Buffalo with Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson and Owen Power in tow. He will get that opportunity now with the Blackhawks.
All the Sabres had to give up to get Byram from the Colorado Avalanche in March of 2024 was forward Casey Mittelstadt, who has turned into a bust as the eighth overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft. Mittelstadt only played 81 games with the Avalanche before they realized they had made a really bad mistake, and then traded him to the Boston Bruins.
Byram was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, and gave the Sabres, what many called, the best top-four defensive group in the NHL. In 182 games with the Sabres, Byram had 21 goals and 68 assists for 89 points.
Greenway is one of the best penalty killers in the NHL, and does a terrific job on the forecheck. However, he brings practically no offense, and Buffalo could use his $4 million salary cap hit.
Buffalo acquired Greenway in March of 2023 from the Minnesota Wild for a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick.
Between him and Byram, Kekalainen added $10.25 million of available cap space.
Many NHL insiders say that won't be used to re-sign winger Alex Tuch, and that he'll test the free agent market July 1. I've seen too many weird things happen over the years, and I believe it's not over until it's over.
Crevier has some experience as a top-four defenseman with Chicago. He's a right-handed defenseman, and in 134 NHL games has 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points.
It would be interesting to see if the 25-year-old could be the bridge that could get the Sabres to their top-two defensive prospects – 19-year-old Radim Mrtka and 20-year-old Adam Kleber.
Buffalo now has the fourth and 20th picks on Friday night in Round 1 of the draft. It'll be very interesting to see if Kekalainen will actually make the picks, or trade them for a bigger package.
Overall, I think this is an excellent deal for the Sabres' new general manager, considering Byram is a rental for the Hawks, if they can't re-sign him. Now maybe part of the trade was Chicago knowing Byram would sign with them – that we don't know – but I think this is very good value, considering the position Kekalainen was in.
Buffalo gets back the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft as part of a three-piece package
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