Buffalo Sabres
· 2026-06-24
The Buffalo Sabres acquired the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft in a trade that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks.
The trade occurred on Tuesday night, with the Sabres also acquiring third-year defenseman Louis Crevier and a second-round draft pick, 46th overall.
Chicago acquired hard-hitting forward Jordan Greenway in the deal.
Byram had a career-high 42 points and matched a career high with 11 goals in 82 games last season.
The Sabres are positioned to land a top prospect in a draft class loaded with highly regarded defensemen.
Among the defensive candidates expected to be available at No. 4 are Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, and Alberts Smits.
The Sabres host the two-day draft, which opens with Round 1 on Friday night.
Buffalo now has six picks in this year's draft, including the No. 4 pick and the 46th overall pick.
The team traded 6-foot-5 defenseman Michael Kesselring to San Jose just five days prior.
New Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen had prioritized signing Byram to a long-term contract this offseason.
Byram spent his first three-plus seasons with Colorado, winning the Stanley Cup in 2022.
He was traded to Buffalo two years later and signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract last summer.
The 29-year-old Greenway is a 10-year NHL veteran who spent three-plus seasons in Buffalo.
He played a valuable checking line role but has been slowed by injuries, limited to 74 games over the past two seasons.
At 6-foot-8 and 228 pounds, Crevier brings size and a hard shot to the Sabres.
The Blackhawks needed another veteran leader on the blue line after trading Connor Murphy to Edmonton on March 2.
Chicago has a group of promising young defensemen, including Artyom Levshunov and Kevin Korchinski.
The Blackhawks have struggled to improve despite picking seventh or better in each of the past four drafts.