Bowen Byram is being traded in a blockbuster involving the No. 4 overall pick

The Buffalo Sabres are trading Bowen Byram to Chicago for a package involving the 4th overall pick and it could be leading to something bigger with the Maple Leafs.

Tuesday night ended with a bang as the Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks pulled off a blockbuster deal that will send defenceman Bowen Byram from the Sabres along with Jordan Greenway for the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, as well as other pieces with the logistics currently being figured out.

The news was broken by Frank Seravalli on X:

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Pierre LeBrun also confirmed that the 45th overall pick was also headed to the Sabres in the deal and the trade call with the league is currently ongoing with the full package likely set to be released shortly:

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The official trade package is as follows:

To Buffalo: 4th overall pick (2026), 45th overall pick (2026), (D) Louis Crevier

To Chicago: (D) Bowen Byram, (F) Jordan Greenway

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Byram, 25, appeared in all 82 games for the Sabres in 2025-26 and recorded 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) and a plus-15 with 48 PIM in 22:20 TOI. He's been looking for a bigger role, and now gets a chance to run the Blackhawks offence alongside Connor Bedard.

Greenway was rumoured to be leaving to open up cap space for the Sabres; he recorded six points in 40 games for the Sabres with a minus-10 and 29 PIM in only 12:27 TOI.

Buffalo now owns the fourth and 20th pick in Friday's draft, though they may not be done making moves.

Buffalo may have bigger plans in mind with the fourth overall pick

Now, that's a massive payment from Chicago to give up their fourth overall pick for Byram but as we know, that pick was in play and clearly Kyle Davidson wasn't shy putting it out on the market for bidders.

But now that Buffalo holds a lot of cap space and draft assets, it could be the best way for them to pull off another stunner at the 2026 Draft on Friday and trade for Matthew Knies. They have been heavily interested in him and may be losing Alex Tuch, so Knies creates a cheaper, younger, and long-term alternative.

Plus we know Toronto wants to get better and getting a top-five pick is one way to do it. That could give them a chance to draft not only a franchise player in Gavin McKenna first overall, but also a franchise defender like Carson Carels or Chase Reid - or even luck out with Ivar Stenberg.

Buffalo is sick of rebuilding and going through the motions of getting better. They proved they are contenders in the East and getting Knies makes them better, younger and more dangerous and they may decide it's worth giving up a future superstar for a current one.

It's not a bad call from GM Jarmo Kekkelainen but there is one request from myself and many other Maple Leafs fans:

Can we please stop helping Toronto's rivals out so much? It would be really appreciated.

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