Bowen Byram left Buffalo with a stronger résumé than he had when the season started, even if the Sabres still didn’t see a finished product.
The now-former Sabres defenseman earned a B+ in TheHockeyNews.com’s annual grades after posting a slightly better statistical line in 2025-26 than he did in 2024-25. Byram finished with seven goals and 38 points in 82 games, then added four goals and seven points in 13 playoff games for Buffalo.
That production helped fuel a big offseason move. In June, the Sabres traded Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks in a blockbuster deal that brought back a package headlined by the 2026 fourth-overall draft pick. Byram then signed a six-year contract extension with Chicago worth $12.5-million per season.
Even with that new deal, the grade here isn’t a reward for reaching his ceiling. Byram was a solid step above average in Buffalo, but he still isn’t at the level of elite names like Cale Makar with the Colorado Avalanche or Quinn Hughes with the Minnesota Wild. That matters because the price tag now puts him under a brighter spotlight.
The opportunity also changes in Chicago. Byram played behind Sabres cornerstones Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, which naturally limited some of his chances.
With the Blackhawks, he should get a bigger runway. That’s why the door is still open for more growth, and why a half-point-per-game season might only be the starting point if he keeps climbing.
For Buffalo, the return was strong. For Byram, the year was good.
But the bigger question now is whether his game takes another jump in Chicago. If it does, next summer’s grade could look a lot different.
In Other News...
Sabres Are Betting Big On Patience After Their Playoff Breakthrough
After their unexpected playoff appearance in 2025-26, the Sabres are resisting the temptation to treat the moment like a finish line. Instead, the front office is leaning into patience, keeping the emphasis on the development of younger players such as Zach Benson, Jack Quinn and Josh Doan while trying to build something sturdier than a one-year run. It is a quieter kind of momentum, but one that fits the way the organization now seems to be thinking about its next step.
General manager Jarmo Keklinen has made it clear that long-term growth matters more than a rushed splash, and the roster plan reflects that mindset. Buffalo is managing cap space and its current composition with an eye toward a much bigger opportunity down the road, including the possibility of pursuing major free agents in 2027-28. For a team that has already shown it can surprise, the harder question now is whether patience can turn a breakthrough into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]