The Chicago Blackhawks have made a major splash by acquiring defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres.
In exchange, the Blackhawks sent defenseman Louis Crevier and two 2026 draft picks to Buffalo.
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Following the trade, Chicago signed Byram to a six-year contract extension worth $12.5 million annually.
That deal makes him the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL and ties him as the sixth-highest paid player in the league.
Trade Details and Draft Impact
The trade package sent to Buffalo included the 4th and 45th overall selections in the 2026 NHL Draft, along with Crevier.
The 25-year-old right-shot blueliner recorded 25 points in 78 games last season.
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With the fourth overall pick acquired in the transaction, the Sabres selected defenseman Daxon Rudolph during the weekend draft at KeyBank Center.
Byram, 25, recorded 11 goals and 42 points last season. His new contract drew immediate reactions from hockey fans on social media, with some questioning the value.
"I love Byram but 12.5 is crazyyyyy," tweeted @__smwisor. Another fan, @Nate_Null, calculated: "That's 285 thousand dollars per point.
Darren Ferris has got to be the worst agent to deal with if you're a GM."
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Byram now joins a rebuilding Blackhawks defensive unit after previously playing on a Buffalo blue line that featured established players Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.
