Buffalo Sabres land No. 4 pick in the draft after trading D Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) looks on during the second period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. Credit: AP/Jeffrey T. Barnes
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres acquired the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft in a trade that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
As part of the deal, Buffalo also acquired third-year defenseman Louis Crevier, who had a career-best 25 points in his first full NHL season, and a second-round draft pick, 46th overall. Chicago also acquired hard-hitting forward Jordan Greenway.
Byram is the key player in the trade.
The 25-year-old had a career-high 42 points and matched a career high with 11 goals in 82 games in spending much of the season playing alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin as Buffalo’s top defensive pairing. He was part of a deep and talented blue line that contributed to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division title and snapping an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.
With the fourth pick, the Sabres are positioned to land a top prospect in a draft class that’s loaded with highly regarded defenseman. Among the defensive candidates expected to be available at No. 4 are Carson Carels (WHL Prince George), North Dakota’s Keaton Verhoeff and Latvia’s Alberts Smits.
Buffalo hosts the two-day draft that opens with Round 1 on Friday night.
In Chicago, Byram adds offense to a team that finished eighth in the Central Division standings for a fourth straight season and hasn’t made the playoffs in six years. The Blackhawks have struggled to improve despite picking seventh or better in each of the past four drafts — a stretch that included them selecting Connor Bedard first overall in 2023.
Chicago Blackhawks' Louis Crevier plays during an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
Chicago has a group of promising young defensemen, including Artyom Levshunov — the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft — and Kevin Korchinski — the No. 7 pick in 2022. But the Blackhawks needed another veteran leader on the blue line after trading Connor Murphy to Edmonton on March 2.
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.
Byram spent his first three-plus seasons with Colorado, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2022 before being traded to Buffalo two years later.
Former Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams signed Byram to a two-year, $12.5 million contract last summer in a deal reached before the defenseman’s arbitration hearing.
Buffalo Sabres left wing Jordan Greenway (12) skates during the first period in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens Friday, May 8, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. Credit: AP/Jeffrey T. Barnes
In addressing reporters after Buffalo was eliminated by Montreal in the second round of the playoffs last month, new Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen said he was placing a priority on signing Byram to a long-term contract this offseason.
At 6-foot-8 and 228 pounds, Crevier brings size and a hard shot to the Sabres a mere five days after they traded 6-foot-5 defenseman Michael Kesselring to San Jose. The teams swapped first-round selections with Buffalo moving up seven spots in the order by landing the Sharks pick at No. 20.
The Sabres now have six picks in this year's draft.
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AP Sports Writer Jay Cohen in Chicago contributed to this report.
