Despite Bowen Byram signing a two-year deal to stick around with the Buffalo Sabres, it doesn't mean he's obligated to stay the entire length of his deal. And for Philadelphia Flyers fans, that's good news, even if you shouldn't expect the Sabres to even think about moving him until the 2026 trade deadline.
But if the Flyers play better-than-expected hockey and if the Sabres play as expected, expect renewed demand for Byram. His contract may be steep, clocking in with a cap hit of $6.25 million over the next two seasons, but there's nothing stopping the Sabres from shopping Byram if they end up struggling again.
That said, don't give up hope simply because he's back with the Blue and Gold. Yeah, it means he's spending most of the 2025-26 season and, if the Sabres somehow figure out how to win consistently, 2026-27. But, in a worst-case scenario, Byram will be in his prime by then and may test the open free agency market since he will be an unrestricted free agent after that season.
Why would the Sabres think about trading Bowen Byram in 2026?
This is a question you might be asking yourself. Why trade Byram at the 2026 deadline when you just re-signed him in July? For one, it wouldn't surprise me if the Sabres broke everything down in March 2026 if they once again stumble out of the gate.
And, given their lackluster offseason, the odds aren't in their favor. I mean, this is a team that traded JJ Peterka and managed to get only Shane Doan and Michael Kesselring in return. Not a pair of players who will make your team any better.
It also wouldn't shock anyone if they moved Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, or Owen Power at that point, too. Maybe he'd keep one of them around, but as for the rest of them, they'll be long gone if Buffalo's out of the picture or moving out of the picture come early March. As for the Flyers, that means staying relevant.
The burning question: Can the Flyers play well enough to be buyers and snag someone like Byram?
Over the past two seasons, we've seen the Flyers spend one year surprising everyone with some good hockey before a late-season collapse dismantled their postseason outlook, then they came back the following year and played like a team that would finish eighth in their division.
So, if they can look like the team from 2023-24, I like their chances for buying at the deadline. This year's version has Trevor Zegras, who we know can play good hockey when healthy. Matvei Michkov is heading into Year 2, and players like Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, and Tyson Foerster (when he's cleared to return) can all play good hockey.
Yeah, there are major question marks in the net, I won't lie. But the Flyers, if healthy and should the netminding hold, could be on the cusp of contention come March 2026. If they are, and if the Sabres prove everyone right again, I wouldn't close the door on Byram just yet.
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