This Buffalo Sabres defenseman is predicted to be the team's breakout star in 2024-25.
The Buffalo Sabres are entering a crucial 2024-25 season. After taking a step in the wrong direction last season, they extended their playoff drought to 13 years. Now, after a busy offseason that saw them add multiple players to their roster, they are hoping that this will finally be the year that they take that next step and break their playoff drought.
For the Sabres to successfully get back into the playoffs, they will need some of their young players to hit new levels. Due to this, on The Hockey News Fantasy site, Jason Chen named defenseman Bowen Byram as the club's top breakout candidate for the 2024-25 season.
Byram, 23, was acquired by the Sabres this past season from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt. Following the move, Byram showed promise with the Sabres, posting three goals, nine points, 29 blocks, and 34 hits in 18 games. He finished the year with 11 goals, 29 points, 94 hits in 73 games.
Bowen Byram
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Byram is viewed as having a high ceiling, which is why the Avalanche selected him fourth overall during the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. At this juncture of his career, he is a solid top-four defenseman, but there is no question that he still has time to take his game to a new level. Perhaps we could see a spike in offensive production from the Cranbrook, British Columbia native next season. If he does that and maintains his steady defensive play, he could be a massive part of the Sabres' success.
From here, we will need to wait and see what kind of season Byram puts together in 2024-25.
