Confirmed Trade: [CHI/BUF] Bowen Byram, Jordan Greenway for Louis Crevier, 2026 1st round pick (4th overall), 2026 2nd round pick (45th overall)

[Muffin]

Imagine being Byram and receiving that through e-mail. He’s probably questioning everything right now.

Good for him and securing generational wealth though. I thought his career might've been over when he had to take time off due to his concussion.

 

[toddkaz]

It's scary to think what Buffalo can add to their team with this 6th overall pick that will make them even better.

You know what's even better? It's 4 OA

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Follow up a terrible trade with an even worse contract?

We aren't talking about Quinn Hughes here, are we?

 

[Chainshot]

Follow up a terrible trade with an even worse contract?

Ferris in a nutshell.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

You know what's even better? It's 4 OA

Wow. Impressive trade by Buffalo. If they draft someone like Chase Reid then that's a win for them. Unless Byram turns into a #1 or #2D for Chicago and Greenway into a top 6 forward, Buffalo wins this trade in a landslide.

 

[Ace]

Ferris in a nutshell.

People are talking about Canadian teams avoiding US born players…

The real thing to avoid is Darren Ferris clients. For everyone,

 

[GigaChad]

The Hawks really have to hope he stays healthy and doesn't get concussed for the fifth time.
They also have to sign him and he has to produce more than thus far in his career.

Worst case scenario is that he retires early due to concussions or leaves.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

Blackhawks fans deserve better...

lmao no they don't

 

[ndgt10]

If it was just 4OA for Byram I think I would have liked it for CHI.

Yes, it's a bit of an overpay but that's the cost of getting a 25 year old 4th overall pick as opposed to an 18 year old.

But adding the 2nd and Crevier on top of the already overpay is pretty bad.

Still, putting aside value, I do think CHI got a lot better here.

Nobody at 4 will be better than Byram. Draft sucks after the top 2.

2nd round picks are near meaningless.

 

[Ace]

Nobody at 4 will be better than Byram. Draft sucks after the top 2.

2nd round picks are near meaningless.

Not one player will be better than Bowen Byram who has had negative metrics with any defenseman not taken first overall the last two years?

Wow.

Crazy.

 

[Tanknomore]

Holy overpay. Wonder what Chicago would have paid for Kaidan Ghule. 1st overall if they had? . What a dumb trade.

 

[The don godfather]

I'm surprised hawks fans didn't come out with the pitchforks today at the arena. Man this is bad.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Such a terrible trade

 

[ClarkSittler]

there'S several report that states that this is a weaker draft.... but this is still a top 4 pick for f***sakes

What reports are those?

Everything I'm reading says this is a strong draft year.

Scouting reports and draft analysts emphasize that the 2026 NHL Draft is exceptionally strong at the very top of the class, particularly due to high-end elite wingers and a historically dominant run of top-pairing defensemen. While some cross-class comparisons label it as a whole as closer to average, multiple major sports outlets point to specific elements making this a premium draft: [1, 2]

The "Special" Talent at the Top

• ESPN's Top-Line Projections: In their Final 2026 NHL Draft Rankings, scouts project multiple players with immediate, franchise-altering, top-line potential. Gavin McKenna is highly praised for his elite deception, pacing, and 100-point scoring upside, while Ivar Stenberg is cited as possessing the elite processing and two-way commitment to contribute in an NHL top-six immediately. [1]
• Scouching’s Elite Tier: Independent scouting outlet Scouching's Final 2026 Rankings places both McKenna and Stenberg in a rare "Tier 1 - The Special Ones" category. They note that players with McKenna's pure, undeniable superstar skill and upside are simply "not available very often." [1]

A Historically Deep Class for Defensemen

• Sportsnet's 2008 Comparison: Draft analysts Sam Cosentino and Jason Bukala argue the defining strength of this class is its blue-line depth. In a Sportsnet Draft Analysis, Cosentino explicitly compares 2026 to the legendary 2008 draft (which produced Drew Doughty, Alex Pietrangelo, and Erik Karlsson), predicting a massive run where five elite defensemen—like Chase Reid and Carson Carels—will be taken in the first nine picks alone. [1]
• The Athletic's High-End Blueliners: Even analytical breakdowns that are critical of the forward depth, such as Corey Pronman's Rankings on The Athletic, state clearly that the class is "led by a strong group of defensemen." Blue-liners like Chase Reid are cited as having the elite vision, reach, and speed to immediately run a top-unit NHL power play. [1]

Strong Mid-First Round Tiers

• The Consensus Top 8: According to public aggregate tracking from NHL Draft Lab, consensus across major scouting boards shows that the top 8 picks form a highly distinct, rock-solid tier of prospects. While variance opens up in the back half of the draft, teams picking in the single digits are viewed as getting highly projectable, safe NHL pieces. [1, 2]

 

[dmcccdmn]

With Sharks likely drsfting Stenberg after Eklund trade, that would leave Chicago with one of Reid or Carels. None of those two is better than Byram, yes? Instead of comparing the value of Byram to 4OA, how about comparing him to Carels? Put asides the money contract, is it too crazy that Chicago prefers Byram over Carels?

 

[goach]

I will say this as a Buffalo fan. Byram has unlimited potential. Greenway will drive you nuts. Good player. Could be very good if he executed