Bowen Byram has secured a new two-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres worth $12.5 million, though trade rumors continue to swirl around the young defenseman.
The 24-year-old blueliner is betting on himself with another bridge deal that’ll take him to unrestricted free agency in 2027. If he keeps improving, he could be looking at an even bigger payday then.
It’s been quite a journey for the former 4th overall pick. After battling through some scary concussion issues early in his career, Byram has turned things around in a big way.
He won a Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022 before getting traded to Buffalo in a surprising one-for-one deal for Casey Mittelstadt. That move has worked out pretty well for the Sabres – especially since Colorado no longer has either Mittelstadt or Charlie Coyle, who they later traded for.
Last season was Byram’s best yet. Playing alongside Rasmus Dahlin on the top pair, he put up 38 points and finished with a +11 rating while eating up nearly 23 minutes per game.
Most importantly? He stayed healthy, playing all 82 games. That’s huge considering he missed more than half of his games in the two seasons before that.
The Sabres made sure to protect themselves during contract talks. When Byram didn’t file for arbitration, they quickly filed themselves – a smart move that prevented other teams from swooping in with offer sheets.
There are still some question marks. While he tied for the team lead with 116 blocked shots, his defensive numbers weren’t quite as strong as Dahlin’s when they were on the ice together.
Both Byram and the Sabres are hoping he can shore up that part of his game as the team tries to break their painful playoff drought – they haven’t made the postseason since 2011.
Multiple reports suggest Byram’s open to staying in Buffalo long-term, but that’ll likely depend on the money. For now, he’s got two years to prove he’s worth an even bigger investment.
