Blockbuster trade including Bowen Byram fell through moments before he was moved to Chicago

The days leading up to the NHL Draft in Buffalo have already delivered fireworks, and the first round hasn't even started yet. On Tuesday night, one of the most significant trades of the offseason shook up the league's landscape, sending a Stanley Cup champion defenseman to a franchise desperate for veteran leadership. But behind the scenes, the deal that ultimately materialized was far from the only one on the table.

The San Jose Sharks were reportedly among several teams that showed strong interest in acquiring Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres. According to reporter Sheng Peng, the Sharks had "lots of interest" in the 25-year-old blue liner. However, the asking price set a steep bar. Peng noted that unless a team was willing to part with the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft, which he considered too rich a price, it would be extremely difficult to outbid what Chicago was offering: the No. 4 overall selection.

Ultimately, it was the Blackhawks who landed Byram, sending that fourth overall pick along with defenseman Louis Crevier and the 46th overall selection to Buffalo. The Sabres also shipped hard-hitting forward Jordan Greenway to Chicago as part of the deal. The trade represents a significant reshuffling for both organizations heading into a draft loaded with elite defensive prospects.

Byram is coming off the best season of his career, posting 42 points and 11 goals across a full 82-game campaign. He spent much of the year paired alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin on Buffalo's top defensive pairing, helping the Sabres capture their first Atlantic Division title and end an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. The former Colorado Avalanche defenseman, who won the Stanley Cup in 2022, had been signed to a two-year, $12.5 million contract by former Sabres GM Kevyn Adams just last summer.

For the Blackhawks, acquiring Byram addresses a glaring need for veteran presence on the blue line, particularly after trading Connor Murphy to Edmonton back in March. Chicago has invested heavily in young defensemen through the draft, selecting Artyom Levshunov second overall in 2024 and Kevin Korchinski seventh in 2022, but the team has continued to struggle, finishing eighth in the Central Division for a fourth consecutive year despite picking in the top seven in each of the last four drafts.

Buffalo, meanwhile, now holds the No. 4 pick and is positioned to add another premium defensive prospect from a draft class rich with talent on the blue line. Names like Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, and Alberts Smits are all expected to be available at that spot. The Sabres also picked up the towering Crevier, who stands 6-foot-8 and posted a career-best 25 points last season, giving them added size just days after trading 6-foot-5 defenseman Michael Kesselring to San Jose.

Several fans are wondering if Chicago paid too much to acquire Byram, and surely the Sharks believed offering the second overall pick was too big of an ask to pull the trigger on this blockbuster.