Insider thinks Sabres could flip Bowen Byram as part of major NHL draft trade
A week out from the 2026 NHL draft, the Buffalo Sabres are reportedly open to trading star defenseman Bowen Byram.
The 25-year-old blue-liner, who posted a career-high 11 goals and 42 points last season, is reportedly seeking a contract extension worth $10 million per year, which would make him the sixth highest-paid defenseman in the NHL.
Dishing out that kind of cash for a No. 2 defenseman may be a little too rich for the Sabres, which is why NHL insider Jeff Marek believe Byram could be flipped as part of a bigger move during the draft, which will take place in Buffalo this year.
“I think that there’s something bigger at play here,” Marek said. “Here’s my thought, and it relates to the trade we saw with the San Jose Sharks…who hosts the draft this year? Will Jarmo (Kekalainen) make a big splash? How about something like Bo Byram and pick 20 in exchange for pick 7 or 9? Never disqualify the home team’s desire to do something big at home.”
The Seattle Kraken hold the No. 7 pick, and the Florida Panthers have the No. 9 pick. Both teams could use a young top-pairing defender and might be open to trading out of the top 10.
The Nashville Predators also have the 10th overall pick, and new general manager Chris MacFarland could be persuaded to give up that selection for a proven defender like Byram.
There’s no question Byram is better now than any defenseman in the NHL draft, and at just 25 years old, he’s still got plenty of career left. A team convinced it can make a playoff run sooner than later may be inclined to flip its first-round pick this year for Byram.
