Blackhawks Acquire Defenseman Byram From Sabres in Draft-Week Trade

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired defenseman Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night in a draft-week trade. The deal sent the Blackhawks' No. 4 overall pick in Friday's NHL draft and defenseman Louis Crevier to Buffalo in exchange for Byram and forward Jordan Greenway.

Byram, who turned 25 on June 13, recorded 11 goals and a career-high 42 points for the Sabres last season. He was part of a defensive group that helped Buffalo win the Atlantic Division title and reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

Byram had previously played behind Cale Makar in Colorado and Rasmus Dahlin in Buffalo and had never served as the top defenseman on an NHL roster.

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said the team viewed Byram as a player whose style and age fit the group's direction. "This was just a value that we put on a really, really good young player in Bo that we felt it was advantageous to move on and acquire for our group," Davidson said.

Byram said he had prepared for an opportunity to play a larger role. "To be honest, I feel like I've just been preparing for an opportunity like this for a long time," Byram said Wednesday. The Blackhawks have not reached the postseason since the NHL used an expanded playoff format following the 2020 season.