Bowen Byram has spent the offseason just outside his hometown of Cranbrook, B.C. Living in his house on the lake, he’s enjoyed fishing and swimming, hiking with his family, attending friends’ weddings, and, yes, skating and working out in preparation for the upcoming season.
He’s also, despite his best efforts to stay offline, heard the rumors surrounding his NHL future as a restricted free agent. A trade to this team? An offer sheet from that one? Salary arbitration hearings?
Byram and the Buffalo Sabres quieted that speculation on Monday, agreeing to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $6.25 million. The defenseman who just turned 24 is now under contract through the 2026-27 season.
“I’m happy it’s done and out of the way, now,” Byram told Sabres.com and Sabres Live, “and I can focus on getting prepared for the season and getting back with the guys and getting on the ice, which we’re all excited to do.”
The uncertainty of this summer wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling for the once-traded Byram, but it was still an uneasy one. Sixteen months into his Sabres tenure, he’s relieved to now refocus on the on-ice side of his career – for both himself and the team.
“Personally, I’ve been pretty happy with my time in Buffalo,” he said. “I think I’ve mentioned it before that I’ve got an opportunity to play a bigger role and play more minutes, whether it’s the offensive side, power play, penalty kill. So, I’m happy with that.
“Just [trying] to continue to grow no matter who I’m playing with or what kind of situations I’m put into. I think, as a player, I have a lot more to give, and I’m looking forward to having that opportunity to do so.”
Byram’s new deal affords him just that opportunity: to further develop his two-way game and help the Sabres win in the process. Defensively, he aims to improve his shot blocking, physicality and net-front box-outs, among other areas. Offensively, he’s eager to get more pucks to the net with what’s proven to be a dangerous shot from the point.
That said, he already boasts a strong foundation at both ends of the ice. Byram’s coming off a 2024-25 season in which he posted career-best numbers in several categories: games played (82), average time on ice (22:42), points (38), plus-minus (+11), shots on goal (94) and shot blocks (116). As he mentioned, his minutes included substantial time shorthanded (1:49/game) and on the power play (1:08/game).
More minutes alongside Buffalo’s captain are another intriguing reason to stick with the Sabres. Byram and Rasmus Dahlin formed one of the NHL’s most dominant pairs last season; during their shared 5-on-5 ice time, Buffalo held a sizable edge in shot attempts (54 percent), shots on goal (57 percent), goals (70 percent) and expected goals (54 percent), per Natural Stat Trick. With strong offensive and defensive skillsets, plus the skating to seamlessly transition between them, they complemented each other perfectly.
“Ras is one of the best defensemen in the world,” Byram said. “… When I’m playing with him, I just try to take care of the defensive side of the puck, make sure that I’m hanging back and giving him the freedom to get up ice and join the play and do his thing.
“But I also try not to let it take away from my own game too much. I think we play quite well together. We balance each other out quite well. We both think the game in a similar way and are able to move the puck up the ice together, get the puck in our forwards’ hands. So, I really enjoy playing with him.”
Their plus-20 goal differential at 5-on-5 was tied for the league lead with the gold standard of NHL defense pairs (and Byram’s former teammates), Colorado’s Cale Makar and Devon Toews.
Byram sees that elite duo as analogous to his own. Makar (Dahlin) drives the play and posts heftier offensive numbers, but Toews (Byram) isn’t fully deferential; the No. 2 guy is just as capable and willing to carry the puck and make a play on his own.
“Looking back now, I think I got to learn a lot from just watching those two,” Byram said. “You have a guy like Cale Makar, very similar to Rasmus, and I hope to try to be a player of Toews’ caliber. Whether it’s now or down the road, that’s what I look to continue to build towards.”
