6 Offseason Trade Landing Spots for Bowen Byram Amid NHL Rumors

After a 14th consecutive non-playoff season, the Buffalo Sabres have to make some significant changes this offseason. One of the changes that could be on the horizon might involve defenseman Bowen Byram.

Not only is Byram a restricted free agent this summer, but he also plays a position where the Sabres already have a handful of big-money, young players (Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power at the top of the list) and could be a decent trade chip as they try to fix other holes elsewhere on the roster.

Byram has not quite taken the star turn that was expected of him when the Colorado Avalanche selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, but he has shown flashes of it when healthy and is at the very least a very formidable offensive-minded defenseman whose peak years are probably just beginning.

He appeared in all 82 games for the Sabres this past season, scoring seven goals to go with 31 assists for 38 total points.

His name already surfaced in trade speculation leading up to the deadline during the 2024-25 season, and it is happening again as we get set for the offseason.

So with his name out there let's take a look at six teams that should have some interest in him or could be sensible landing spots.

New York Rangers

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The Rangers spent the better part of the 2024-25 season trying to re-shape their defense, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. Especially when it comes to generating offense, moving the puck and having players on the back-end that actually have some mobility.

Byram could be the exact type of player that could help shift their defense into something more dangerous, while also still being young enough to have some untapped potential.

The problem is the fact the Rangers already have five defensemen under contract for this season, while also having two additional restricted free agents in K'Andre Miller and Zac Jones. So there are not a lot of open spaces on the roster. That should not prohibit the Rangers from trying to make a change and adding a potential difference-maker.

The Rangers' defensive zone play and ability to move the puck up the ice has been a constant problem in recent years, and it only got worse this past season. If they have any hope of bouncing back and returning to the playoffs as a potential Stanley Cup contender they are going to need to make some serious changes to that group.

Los Angeles Kings

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From a short-term outlook the Kings don't really need a ton of defensive help. They are already one of the best defensive teams in hockey, and have a pretty good collection of young both veterans and young players on their blue line.

But they after a fourth consecutive first-round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, it is pretty clear they still have a ways to go before they can get to where they want to be. If there is a chance to add a good player, regardless of position, they need to be open to it.

The Kings also have to wrestle with the fact that veteran defenseman Drew Doughty is only under contract for two more seasons and they will at some point have to be prepared for playing hockey without him. Byram is still young enough -- and good enough -- that he could be a potential top-pairing defenseman from a long-term perspective, and might be able to take the torch from Doughty and become the Kings' new focal point on defense.

Detroit Red Wings

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At some point general manager Steve Yzerman has to start feeling some pressure in Detroit, especially as the team's biggest weaknesses continue to go unaddressed every year.

One of those big weaknesses is their defense, as well as their overall inability to prevent goals and control play during 5-on-5 situations.

They have two outstanding young defenseman in Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, but those two alone are not going to be enough to carry the defense. More help is a must, and Byram would be a perfect fit that could not only be an immediate upgrade in the short-term, but also still be at an age where he could continue to get better and grow with their young core.

The Red Wings ranked 26th and 24th in 5-on-5 goals scored percentage and expected goals share during the season, and need to improve both areas if they are going to snap their postseason drought. Byram could immediately help both areas.

Seider is the only Red Wings defender under contract beyond the 2025-26 season (Edvinsson is a restricted free agent), so they not only need the short-term help, but the potential long-term help as well.

The big question is what sort of offer would it take to convince Buffalo to trade him within the division to a team that would be, in theory, competing with them for a playoff spot to end two of the longest droughts in pro sports.

Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Blackhawks rebuild has not really shown much progress yet in terms of team success. The 2024-25 season was so bad that the team actually won fewer games in the second year of Connor Bedard's career than it did in the season it was attempting to tank to acquire him.

There are a lot of young prospects and first-round picks making their way to the NHL level, and especially on defense where they have Kevin Korchinski and Artyom Levshunov among their top young players. But you can not just throw a bunch of young players on the ice at the same time and expect them to compete and get better. You need to mix in some more established players and veterans that actually have some sort of a trade record when it comes to playing in the NHL. Not all of those young players are going to develop as you hope, or as quickly as you think.

It will take some time in some instances, and with others they just simply may not be what you expect.

Even though Byram has not yet consistently lived up to his pre-draft hype and expectation, he is still a very good NHL defenseman and would be a great addition to a young Blackhawks team that is still trying to find its way.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Blue Jackets have a chance to be one of the most aggressive teams in the NHL this offseason, and Byram would be an excellent trade candidate for them to look at it.

All of the variables are there to make them a potentially ideal landing spot.

They need to upgrade their defense and are looking at the possibility of losing veteran Ivan Provorov in free agency.

They have more salary cap space than just about any team in the NHL.

They have a deep pool of trade chips that includes two first-round picks that general manager Don Waddell has repeatedly said are available.

They are also a team that might be ready to seriously contend for a playoff spot after taking a huge step forward this season and just narrowly missing out on the Eastern Conference field.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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We know the Pittsburgh Penguins are starting a rebuild. What we do not know is how in depth this rebuild is going to go, and how long they are anticipating it taking. General manager Kyle Dubas keeps talking about trying to compete again sooner rather than later and getting back into the playoffs while Sidney Crosby is still playing. Crosby remains under contract for two more full seasons.

Are the Penguins envisioning this being a Washington Capitals type of turnaround?

Or is this going to be a full-scale rebuild that takes years?

If it is more of the former, they could still potentially be in the market for a player like Byram. They desperately need to upgrade their defense, and with Kris Letang losing a step and Erik Karlsson likely to be traded at some point they would have a big need for a mid-20s, puck-moving defenseman that could help drive the offense and put points on the board.

They have some salary cap flexibility and a huge collection of draft picks that includes -- as of now -- 30 picks over the next three years. A lot of those picks are in the first, second and third rounds, so there could be something intriguing here for the Sabres to look at if they move Byram.