A summer that was supposed to be about Buffalo’s rise back into contention is suddenly circling around one uncomfortable question: how long will Bowen Byram actually remain a Sabre?

After helping power the Buffalo Sabres to their long-awaited breakthrough season, Byram now finds himself at the center of one of the organization’s most delicate offseason decisions. The 24-year-old defenseman is eligible for a contract extension this summer, and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen made it clear during his end-of-season media availability that securing Byram is high on the team’s priority list.

Whether that actually happens remains uncertain.

According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, there is growing belief that Byram’s agent, Darren Ferris, could encourage the defenseman to ride out the final season of his current contract and explore unrestricted free agency in 2027 instead of signing early.

“It will be interesting to see how it goes on the Byram front. He's scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027, and I think he really likes it in Buffalo, so it wouldn't surprise me if he extended this summer,” LeBrun wrote. “On the other hand, Ferris philosophically often advises his clients to fully take advantage of their UFA option, so I could also see a scenario in which that's the advice for his client this summer, to play out his contract. We shall see.”

LeBrun also reported that Kekalainen and Ferris are expected to begin preliminary talks during the 2026 NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo, which opens Sunday.

Byram’s season didn’t exactly explode out of the gate, but once he found his rhythm, he became one of Buffalo’s most impactful players at both ends of the ice. The former Colorado Avalanche defenseman finished the year with career-best offensive numbers, posting 42 points on 11 goals and 31 assists while appearing in all 82 regular-season games.

He elevated his game further in the playoffs, contributing four goals and seven points across 13 postseason contests as Buffalo finally snapped its infamous 14-year playoff drought.

The Sabres’ resurgence was built largely around the stability and balance of their blue line. Byram joined Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, and Owen Power to form one of the league’s more reliable top-four defensive groups. With Dahlin, Samuelsson, and Power already tied down long term, Buffalo’s front office understandably wants Byram to become part of that foundation permanently.

The challenge is that the financial picture is beginning to tighten.

Buffalo currently sits with limited flexibility under the salary cap, and another major negotiation looms with veteran winger Alex Tuch. Reports indicate Tuch could command somewhere near $10.5 million annually on his next contract, a number that would dramatically complicate Buffalo’s long-term planning.

Even if the Sabres managed to retain Tuch, additional moves would almost certainly be needed to create room for younger players such as Zach Benson and Peyton Krebs. Beyond that, the organization also has future negotiations looming for rising prospects including Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich, and Konsta Helenius.

That reality leaves Buffalo walking a dangerous line.

If early extension talks suggest Byram is determined to test free agency, the Sabres may have to seriously consider moving him while his value is near its peak. With one season remaining on a contract carrying a $6.25 million cap hit, Byram would likely attract significant league-wide interest after the way he performed during the second half of the season.

Buffalo already rolled the dice once by keeping Tuch through the trade deadline instead of maximizing his value on the market. That gamble helped fuel a memorable playoff run, but it also opened the possibility of eventually losing a major asset for nothing in return.

Now the organization faces a similar crossroads with Byram.

Would Kekalainen be willing to repeat the “own rental” strategy for another postseason push, or could the Sabres ultimately decide that reallocating Byram’s money toward keeping Tuch makes more long-term sense?

For now, much of the uncertainty rests in Byram’s hands.

If the defenseman tells Ferris he sees Buffalo as home, the entire conversation changes overnight. If not, the Sabres could soon find themselves navigating one of the NHL offseason’s most fascinating trade scenarios.

Either way, the upcoming discussions between Kekalainen and Ferris may go a long way toward shaping the future of Buffalo’s roster.