Capitals were smart to avoid targeting Bowen Byram after shocking trade

There is some speculation that the Washington Capitals could look to add some defensive depth this offseason, and there is still some belief that they could look to fill out their blue line with the significant amount of cap space they have left over.

However, they were smart to avoid targeting Bowen Byram after seeing the shocking move between the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres yesterday (Jun. 23).

The Blackhawks acquired Byram and Jordan Greenway in exchange for the fourth-overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, the 45th overall selection, and Louis Crevier.

Fans across the league were beyond shocked by the deal, as nobody expected Byram to be someone that costed that much in any trade, but, it happened.

"This might be one of the worst trades I've ever seen. And that's not hyperbole," one fan, with the username Bedards_Burner, said. Another comment, made by hockey content creator Nealer, read, "Holy Buffalo fleece."

The Capitals could benefit from adding a defender this summer, but they did not need to pay that much for someone like Byram, so not considering targeting him seems to be the right move.

Byram's analytics do not look strong, whatsoever, and this deal could turn out to be one of the biggest overpays in recent history. Thankfully, for the Capitals, there are better options out there.

The Capitals have plenty of time and cap space to make any moves they see as necessary to create a lineup strong enough to make a deep playoff run. They are still waiting to hear from Alex Ovechkin on his future, but the recent acquisition of Kyrou, combined with their willingness to make big moves, makes it seem like they are trying to make a push for their second Stanley Cup in franchise history next season, regardless of what Ovechkin's decision is.

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