The Chicago Blackhawks made their first move of the 2026 offseason Tuesday night, announcing they acquired defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Jordan Greenway in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.
In return, the Sabres received the Nos. 4 and 45 picks in this week’s NHL draft along with defenseman Louis Crevier.
Byram, 25, is coming off the best offensive season of his six-year career. He had 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) to go with 93 blocked shots, 22 takeaways and an average ice time of 22 minutes, 20 seconds in 2025-26.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Byram gives the Hawks a stocky defenseman to complement the 6-6 Alex Vlasic. A native of Cranbrook, British Columbia, Byram was selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the No. 4 pick 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 had six points (one goal, five assists) in 40 regular-season games and added two goals and an assist in the playoffs.
The Sabres are coming off their first playoff appearance in 14 seasons. They fell to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Byram’s addition comes at a hefty price for the Hawks, who gave up their top-five selection in Friday’s first round.
Crevier’s addition to the deal also came as a shock. The 6-8 defenseman is coming off a breakout season in which he totaled 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) with one of the hardest shots in the league, along with blocking 95 shots and delivering 124 hits.
The Hawks had received the No. 45 pick in a 2023 trade with the New York Islanders along with now-retired forward Josh Bailey, who did not play in Chicago. The Islanders received future considerations in return.