BUFFALO, N.Y. —The Buffalo Sabres avoided arbitration with Bowen Byram late Monday night by re-signing the restricted free-agent defenceman to a two-year contract worth $12.5 million.

Byram will count $6.25 million against the salary cap through the 2026-27 NHL season. He was considered a candidate for a trade or an offer sheet from another team before the Sabres elected salary arbitration with him earlier this month.

The 24-year-old is coming off setting career highs with 31 assists, 38 points and 116 blocked shots while playing all 82 games in his first full season with Buffalo. The team acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for centre Casey Mittelstadt at the 2024 trade deadline.

Byram had nine points on the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup run. He has 33 goals and 89 assists in 273 regular-season and playoff games since debuting in the league in 2021.