Bowen Byram returns to Denver as Sabres face Avalanche

Bowen Byram, traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Buffalo Sabres last March, will return to Denver for the first time on Thursday. Byram was a key player in Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup win but was traded for a center. Byram has become a top defenseman for the Sabres, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per game and ranking third among defensemen in points. Buffalo is coming off a loss to Dallas but had won three straight before that. The Avalanche are on a five-game winning streak despite injuries, including Valeri Nichushkin, who left a recent game with a lower-body injury. Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in points, while Jonathan Drouin recently returned from injury.