Sabres Trade Byram, Build Defense

Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen pulled off a bold trade, sending defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago for the fourth overall draft pick, another selection, and Louis Crevier — a move he says was necessary since Byram wouldn’t re-sign, and they got great value with a year left on his deal. Replacing Byram is top priority, with the team eyeing more trades to strengthen defense, while also navigating Alex Tuch’s impending free agency — likely to move on, possibly via sign-and-trade. With a deep roster of young talent ready to step up, Kekäläinen is confident they can fill Tuch’s void internally or through deals. They also upgraded their draft position, acquiring the 20th pick from San Jose to target a specific player. Contract-wise, they’re optimistic about Zach Benson and want to retain Beck Malenstyn. Goalie-wise, the trio performed well last season, and Kekäläinen plans to keep the same rotation — though always open to improvement. Plus, Buffalo’s growing appeal as a destination is a major win for the organization. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/427a46eaf565d7c7