Byram's career year earns B-plus in final Sabres grade

His six-year, $75 million extension starts in 2027.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 151 min read

What happened: Byram set career highs with 11 goals and 42 points while playing all 82 games in 2025-26. Chicago acquired him from Buffalo in a June deal built around the No. 4 pick.

Why it matters: His cap hit will rise from $6.25 million to $12.5 million when the extension begins in 2027-28. A larger role awaits after he played behind Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power in Buffalo.

By the numbers: Byram finished with 11 goals, 42 points and a plus-15 rating in 82 games, up from seven goals and 38 points over the same number of games in 2024-25. He added four goals and seven points in 13 playoff games.

What to watch: Byram's first season in Chicago will test whether expanded opportunity lifts him beyond half a point per game.

Sources

Yahoo NHL 2026-08-15T23:36:14.626033+00:00

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