Report: Sabres Had Bidding War For Byram Between 3 Teams

The Buffalo Sabres landed a stunning haul for defenseman Bowen Byram this week, scoring the 4th overall pick in Friday's NHL Draft, a second-rounder, plus the under-the-radar pickup of 6'8" D-man Louis Crevier, while also unloading the contract of Jordan Greenway. 

Now we're learning why the cost to acquire Byram was so high. According to insider Elliotte Friedman, on The Fan Hockey Show, Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen had a nice bidding war going amongst the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks:

Buffalo knew it had at least three teams that wanted the player really badly... Kekalainen must've been sitting there, saying, 'Alright, throw another log on the fire guys'... 'I've got this, what are you going to do to beat it?, I've got this (now)...'

He had three teams: the Sharks had the 9th (overall pick) after they traded for it, the Rangers have got (the No. 5 pick), and Chicago's there with #4. And I think (Buffalo) just sat there and did what a team is supposed to do—they played them all off each other and got the best pick he could.

The Blackhawks obviously feel that Byram, 25, has another level to get to, as the player feels himself. Byram has never been a No. 1 guy on the blueline, but when you've played behind, first, Cale Makar in Colorado, and then Rasmus Dahlin in Buffalo, there aren't really many defensemen in the league who would have been, in those situations. 

With Chicago, Byram will get a chance to be that guy. He'll quarterback the power play, he'll log oodles of ice time, and the Hawks are hoping he just runs (skates) with it. Bo knows he can do it, now he'll get that opportunity.

Byram is up for an extension on July 1, with one year remaining on his deal. It's expected that he'll be looking for north of $10M on an AAV, and the Blackhawks, after winning that bidding war, will certainly have to come to terms and show him the money.