The Chicago Blackhawks made a major move for their blue line on Tuesday, acquiring defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Louis Crevier and two high picks in this week’s NHL draft.
Buffalo received the No. 4 overall pick and the No. 45 selection, giving the Sabres another premium asset heading into a draft they are hosting. The Sabres now own two first-rounders, as they already had the No. 20 selection.
Byram is the centerpiece of the deal for Chicago. The 25-year-old is coming off the best offensive season of his NHL career, posting 11 goals and 31 assists in 82 games for Buffalo. He ranked second among Sabres defensemen in assists and points, and he also blocked 93 shots.
Byram added seven points in 13 playoff games, including four goals, after helping Buffalo win the Atlantic Division and end its 14-year postseason drought, the longest in NHL history.
For his career, Byram has 44 goals and 108 assists in 328 games with the Colorado Avalanche (2020-2024) and the Sabres (2024-2026). He has an additional four goals and 15 assists in 40 career playoff games.
For the Blackhawks, the trade is a significant step toward accelerating a rebuild that has yet to produce much movement in the standings. Chicago has missed the playoffs in six straight seasons and finished last in the Central Division for a fourth consecutive year, despite picking seventh or higher in each of the past four drafts.
Byram joins a young defense that already includes Artyom Levshunov and Kevin Korchinski, giving Chicago another established NHL option after the team moved Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers a few days prior to last season’s trade deadline. Byram also brings championship experience, having helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Greenway gives the Blackhawks a veteran forward with size and a checking-line profile. The 29-year-old had one goal and five assists in 40 games last season, and he has 165 points in 475 career NHL games with the Minnesota Wild (2017-2023) and Buffalo (2023-2026).
Crevier, 25, heads to Buffalo after setting career highs with seven goals, 18 assists and 78 games played for Chicago last season. The 6-foot-8 defenseman ranked second on the Blackhawks in hits (124) and blocked shots (95).
