Blackhawks trade away No. 4 draft pick to acquire defenseman Bowen Byram from Sabres

Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune on Jun 23, 2026

Published in Hockey

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CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks made their first move of the 2026 offseason on Tuesday night, announcing they acquired defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Jordan Greenway via trade with the Buffalo Sabres. In return, the Sabres received the Nos. 4 and 45 picks of the 2026 NHL draft along with defenseman Louis Crevier from the Hawks.

General manager Kyle Davidson adds the 25-year-old defenseman to his blueliner corps — one who’s coming off the best offensive season of his six-year career. Byram, 25, scored 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) to go along with his 93 blocked shots, 22 takeaways and 22:20 average ice time in 2025-26.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 205 pounds, Byram is another stocky defenseman in the Hawks locker room alongside Alex Vlasic. The Cranbrook, British Columbia, native was selected No. 4 by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 draft and was traded to the Sabres on March 6, 2024.

Greenway, 29, didn’t do much with the Sabres last season. He scored six points (one goal, five assists) across 40 regular-season games while adding two goals and an assist in the playoffs.

The Sabres are weeks removed from their first playoff appearance in 14 seasons. They fell to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The addition of the blueliner comes at a hefty price for the Hawks. Davidson’s team will lose their top-5 selection in the NHL draft, which begins Friday.

Crevier is also a shocking addition to the deal. The 6-foot-6 defenseman is coming off a breakout season in which he scored 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) with one of the hardest shots in the league, along with blocking 95 shots and dealing 124 hits.

The Hawks had received the No. 45 draft pick in a 2023 trade with the New York Islanders along with now-retired forward Josh Bailey, who did not play for Chicago. The Islanders received future considerations in return.