NHL Trades Reshape Rosters
NHL Shake-Up: Sabres Trade Byram for No. 4 Pick; Capitals Land Kyrou Amidst Free Agency
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Key Points
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Bowen Byram posted a career-high 42 points (11 goals) in 82 games and routinely played alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin as Buffalo's top defensive pairing, a factor in the Sabres’ Atlantic Division title and their playoff drought ending; his trade to Chicago includes the No. 4 overall pick, Louis Crevier (a 3-year defenceman who had 25 points in his first full NHL season), and a second-round pick, with Jordan Greenway going to Buffalo.
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Louis Crevier, a 3-year defenceman, had a career-best 25 points in his first full NHL season and is part of the trade package, which also includes the 46th overall pick in the second round.
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Buffalo is hosting the No. 4 overall pick in this draft, a slot that could land a top blueliner; the projected defensive candidates at No. 4 include Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, and Alberts Smits.
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Alex Tuch, who posted 33 goals and 66 points in 79 games last season, is moving toward free agency; the Sabres are exploring sign-and-trade options to recoup value before July 1.
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Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen characterized Tuch's departure as a 'positive problem' and said the team has a plan to replace him, pointing to internal options such as Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, and Konsta Helenius.
The Buffalo Sabres sent defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks on June 23 in one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory. In return, Buffalo landed the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, defenseman Louis Crevier, and a second-round pick (No. 45/46), while shipping forward Jordan Greenway to Chicago. NHL.com confirmed the deal, with analysts at Locked On Sabres calling it "highway robbery" — the first time in 18 years a team acquired a top-five pick via trade.
On the same night, the Washington Capitals acquired forward Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues for Connor McMichael, Milton Gästrin, and the No. 16 overall pick. Kyrou, who carries a $8.125 million AAV over five years, waived his no-trade clause to join Washington. Together, the two blockbusters reshaped the Eastern Conference landscape just two days before the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo.
Byram Trade Gives Sabres a Blueprint to Rebuild Blue Line
Byram posted a career-high 42 points (11 goals) in 82 games last season, logging 22 minutes and 20 seconds of ice time per game alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin. Chicago GM Kyle Davidson defended the price, saying "this was just a value we put on a really, really good young player" who "doesn't come available very often," per NHL.com. Byram himself said Chicago "always kind of felt like the place I wanted to end up."
Buffalo, now hosting the draft, holds the No. 4 and No. 20 picks. GM Jarmo Kekäläinen is targeting a blue-line cornerstone to slot alongside Dahlin. Projected candidates at No. 4 include Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, and Alberts Smits, per the Live Research Briefing. There are also reports Buffalo could flip the pick to Winnipeg for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, according to The Big Lead.
Crevier and Greenway Round Out a Lopsided Deal
Louis Crevier is 6-foot-8 and recorded 25 points (7 goals, 18 assists) in 78 games in his first full NHL season. He ranks in the 99th percentile for shot hardness at 102.83 mph, per NHL Edge data reported by NHL.com. Analysts noted his size and offensive upside make him a legitimate sweetener — not just filler — in the package. Jordan Greenway heads to Chicago as a salary offset, clearing roughly $9.35 million in combined cap space for Buffalo.
Kyrou Joins Washington as Capitals Retool Around Veterans
Jordan Kyrou put up 46 points in 72 games last season — down from 37 goals in the 2022-23 season. Washington GM Chris Patrick called Kyrou the "ideal fit" for the Capitals' retool, per Baltimore Banner. Daily Faceoff graded the deal highly, noting Kyrou's 5-on-5 underlying metrics stayed elite despite his scoring dip. Kyrou said he has "a lot to prove" and is excited for "a fresh start" in Washington.
For St. Louis, moving Kyrou signals a formal rebuild. Under new GM Alex Steen and president Doug Armstrong, the Blues viewed Kyrou as part of a "stalled" core, per Daily Faceoff. Washington gave up Connor McMichael — a fan favorite — plus prospect Milton Gästrin and the No. 16 pick to get the deal done.
Alex Tuch Saga Adds More Pressure to Sabres' Offseason
Alex Tuch scored 33 goals and 66 points in 79 games last season, making him one of the most coveted pending free agents on the market. With talks stalled, NBC Sports reported that GM Kekäläinen anticipates losing Tuch to free agency. A sign-and-trade to Washington — pairing him with Kyrou — has emerged as a likely outcome, per multiple reports including RotoWire and Hockey Feed.
Kekäläinen called the situation a "positive problem" and pointed to prospects Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, and Konsta Helenius as internal replacements. The New York Times noted the Sabres are one of the few teams willing to absorb a long-term deal given their new cap flexibility. The Sabres broke a 15-year playoff drought in 2026 — winning the Atlantic Division — making this offseason a pivotal test of whether the rebuild can sustain itself.
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