Sabres re-sign Bowen Byram to two-year contract

The deal will end when Byram is 26 years old, at which point he will become an unrestricted free agent.

The contract comes a little over a week after the Sabres reportedly filed for team-elected arbitration for the pending restricted free agent. Byram had just finished his latest two-year contract, which was considered a bridge deal with a cap hit of $3.85 million. There were some rumors that the Sabres were exploring moving the young blueliner’s signing rights for assets.

Byram is coming off arguably his best season in his young NHL career. In 82 games, he notched seven goals, along with a career-high 31 assists and 38 points. The 24-year-old registered a plus/minus of +11 while averaging 22:42 of ice time, both numbers are the best in his tenure in the league.

It was his first full season with the Sabres. Byram made his way to Western New York in March 2024, when the Colorado Avalanche traded him in a one-for-one deal for Casey Mittelstadt. Byram was once regarded as one of the top prospects in the Avs’ system, but injuries over his first few seasons with the team led many to wonder if he could make it in the NHL. In his time with the Sabres, the former Vancouver Giant has made it known that he has the talent to be a viable two-way defender.

In 246 regular-season games in the NHL, the Cranbrook, British Columbia native has scored 33 goals and 77 assists for 11 points, with a career rating of +26. In 27 Stanley Cup Playoff games, all with the Avalanche, he has posted 12 assists.

With the signing, the Sabres have a little less than $7.4 million in projected cap space for the 2025-26 season, according to PuckPedia.