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

[Puckstopper]

You know that many drafts you don't get much better than Byram for 4? Do all these over-raters of draft picks on HF ever go back and look at the draft history for the whole league?

If you back to the very first draft and look at any draft, there are about 30 good players at most, and by the time you hit 20 deep in many drafts you are already at names that aren't that exciting or even good. That is over 200 names each year for a lot of years and you barely have one round worth of good stuff. There are 3rd and 4th line grinders who end up being 20th-30th best in their draft year.

I don't think that's necessarily the point. Byram was walking either way, so Buffalo had limited leverage. If we the public know, Chicago knows it. To give the 4th OA is a massive return, and I certainly hope they have him ready to sign an extension, otherwise it's even more of a disaster. Another point, there are only so many spots for offensive dmen. As good as Byram was in Buffalo, he wanted more playing time and money. We just saw a disgruntled Nemec get dealt. And now Davidson has seemingly gone from "Korchinski's our guy" to Levshunov, and now Byram. It's like he gets infatuated with his new toy and envisions this dream scenario of an elite #1 dman, and when they don't live up he moves on to the next guy. The asset management is all over the place.

 

[Kevin Musto]

San Jose traded Eklund for 9th overall in hopes of moving that pick for Byram

Chicago just prevented San Jose from ever having a good blueline

The ripple effects of this trade will be felt for years on years as San Jose continues to falter just as the Leafs did because the media overhyped their defenseless core

 

[Divine]

Rumor also is Chicago offered Levshunov for Knies straight up iirc and it was late or something but would have gone through at the TDL? at any rate this exact trade for Knies over Byram would have been more palatable because Bedard needs a linemate. This essentially takes a strength at RD and trades it for a strength at LD which is ok on its face but doesnt help the forward core at all which arguably needs the most help.

What? That definitely wasn’t a rumour.

So they were going to trade Knies to both Montreal and Chicago at the same deadline but filled the paperwork late for both? Did they clone Knies or something?

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Jarmo: “Alright, it’s a deal. Byram for pick #4 and Crevier, but you’re going to have to take Greenway, too.”

Davidson: “Fine, but you’re going to have to take pick #45 then!”

 

[ITM]

San Jose traded Eklund for 9th overall in hopes of moving that pick for Byram

Chicago just prevented San Jose from ever having a good blueline

The ripple effects of this trade will be felt for years on years as San Jose continues to falter just as the Leafs did because the media overhyped their defenseless core

Apples and oranges. The above is a serious take?

 

[Taze em]

SJ 9th+27th and a prospect
Chi 4th+45 and Crevier

The tier 4-9 is flat according to Pronman Wheeler, etc. Basically the Hawks forced SJ into the Maple Leaf Core 4 era with a very similar deal.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Buffalo picking in the top 5 again just like everyone thought they would when they fired Kevyn Adams

 

[Kevin Musto]

Rumor also is Chicago offered Levshunov for Knies straight up iirc and it was late or something but would have gone through at the TDL? at any rate this exact trade for Knies over Byram would have been more palatable because Bedard needs a linemate. This essentially takes a strength at RD and trades it for a strength at LD which is ok on its face but doesnt help the forward core at all which arguably needs the most help.

That's not what happened lol.

The late trade at the deadline was between Montreal and Toronto.

Toronto wanted Levshunov from Chicago, and Chicago said no.

 

[start winnin]

Who returned more Byram or Hughes?

 

[Bizz]

San Jose traded Eklund for 9th overall in hopes of moving that pick for Byram

Chicago just prevented San Jose from ever having a good blueline

The ripple effects of this trade will be felt for years on years as San Jose continues to falter just as the Leafs did because the media overhyped their defenseless core

what you think makes you sleep better at night lol

 

[SimpleJack]

I really wanted Crevier on the Caps. His year over year growth is special for a defenseman of that size and age. It could end up being a Kesselring/Doan 2.0 deal for Buffalo with Crevier ending up as a better piece than whatever comes of the 4th overall long term.

Crevier has officially become the most overrated player in the NHL over the last few hours.

 

[Bizz]

fun fact: SJ was never seriously in on Byram. Grier just showed interest so Chicago panicked and overpaid for him. Congratulations, you got played.

 

[Chainshot]

Who returned more Byram or Hughes?

Hughes by far.

 

[Divine]

Who returned more Byram or Hughes?

Byram returned magic beans. They could be anything, even Byram!

From a team perspective, it doesn't make Buffalo any better. Likely at 4th, it's all D to choose from and most of them have/will commit to college. By the time they're ready for the NHL - it could be a few years, if ever. I also don't know if Buffalo is going to want to draft a defencemen because the top 3 can possibly all be forwards leaving almost all d-men to pick from - so they might already be shopping the pick for immediate help.

 

[Taze em]

The Crevier of this is hilarious. 20 points in 3 seasons in the AHL, 7 points in 2 partial NHL seasons. Waiver fodder at the beginning of the year that no other team would have even claimed who capitalized on lack of warm bodies in Chicago with like 4 100 mph slapshots that have now made him the missing piece!

 

[centipede2233]

Byram with only 1 year to UFA is what makes this trade insanity. But they can resign him! Sure at 9-10 mil per. Not only did buffalo get the picks and prospect, they got a boatload of cap space to be able,to try and sign Tuch. If that’s the case it’s Byram and greenway for Tuch, #4, #45 and prospect an RD prospect no less.

 

[SimpleJack]

fun fact: SJ was never seriously in on Byram. Grier just showed interest so Chicago panicked and overpaid for him. Congratulations, you got played.

Hawks badly needed a legit top pairing LHD. As in one who’s ready now. They only gave up a bottom pairing RHD off their roster to make it happen. As long as Byram resigns, which I’m sure he will unless things go badly south(and if that happens then there are much bigger concerns anyways), then this is a solid move for the Hawks. I really don’t understand why people are acting like they just overpaid. They didn’t even include Rinzel or Levshunov, both of whom play the right side and have much higher ceilings and are much younger than Crevier. They gave up none of their forward prospects. The #4OA pick in a weak draft(outside top 2) wasn’t going to help them improve their blueline next season, or get them that 1LHD or a PP QB. They had to make a move and they did.

 

[99ovr]

I know it's prob been said 100 times in this thread already but this literally may be the worst trade I've ever seen.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Bedard request a trade lmao

 

[99ovr]

Hawks badly needed a legit top pairing LHD. As in one who’s ready now. They only gave up a bottom pairing RHD off their roster to make it happen. As long as Byram resigns, which I’m sure he will unless things go badly south(and if that happens then there are much bigger concerns anyways), then this is a solid move for the Hawks. I really don’t understand why people are acting like they just overpaid. They didn’t even include Rinzel or Levshunov, both of whom play the right side and have much higher ceilings and are much younger than Crevier. They gave up none of their forward prospects. The #4OA pick in a weak draft(outside top 2) wasn’t going to help them improve their blueline next season, or get them that 1LHD or a PP QB. They had to make a move and they did.

Byram literally has all the leverage in negotiations and will for sure hold Kyle Davidson hostage.

This reminds me when Bryan Murray panick traded for Bobby Ryan after Alfredsson left and Ryan only had 1 year left until UFA. Then he was able to get a 7m+ contract for 8 years (which at the time in 2014 was absolutely huge).

When will a GM learn to not trade high value assets for someone 1 year away from UFA lmao

 

[Harvey Birdman]

It’s better to get a guy who can actually play NHL hockey instead of rolling the dice in the draft. You could end up with a Levshunov or a Korchinski. Anyway we’ll have plenty more top 4 picks so it’s ok to skip a year

The problem is the dude can walk as a UFA at the end of the year. And if I were him unless Chicago backs up the Brinks truck I would. He also has one of the most vicious agents alive.

 

[aircobra]

San Jose traded Eklund for 9th overall in hopes of moving that pick for Byram

Chicago just prevented San Jose from ever having a good blueline

The ripple effects of this trade will be felt for years on years as San Jose continues to falter just as the Leafs did because the media overhyped their defenseless core

Lmao is this serious? Sharks can't have a good defense because they didn't overpay for Byram? Wow.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Hughes by far.

Yeah, Zeev's draft year stacks up with any of the d-men in this draft. Better in fact, but he's only 6'-185 lbs. Likely why he fell to #12.
Plus Rossi, Ohgren and #24. This deal isn't close.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I know it's prob been said 100 times in this thread already but this literally may be the worst trade I've ever seen.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Bedard request a trade lmao

I struggle to think of a worse out of memory. I’d have to dive. But man it’s up there.

 

[caymanmew]

San Jose traded Eklund for 9th overall in hopes of moving that pick for Byram

Chicago just prevented San Jose from ever having a good blueline

The ripple effects of this trade will be felt for years on years as San Jose continues to falter just as the Leafs did because the media overhyped their defenseless core

Can't the Sharks just sign him as a UFA next offseason?

 

[Taze em]

A lot of Sharks cope ITT. They maneuvered and maneuvered and then whiffed on their guy. I wonder if it's important to invest in defense to win in the NHL. Now they have to wait on Dickinson and Rudolph to be good in four years.