Blackhawks' Bowen Byram seeks bounce-back performance against Hurricanes after slow start

The Chicago Blackhawks made a splash this past offseason, acquiring Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, defenseman Louis Crevier and a second-round pick in the same draft.

The move was Chicago's attempt to land a bona fide top-pairing defenseman as the Blackhawks inked a six-year extension with the Cranbrook, BC native that keeps him with the Hawks through 2033. Giving up future assets as valuable as a top-five pick was done to produce better results moving forward, with Byram expected to be a difference-maker for the franchise.

However, that hasn't happened yet as the 25-year-old is averaging 24:29 of ice time per night but has not recorded a point and is a minus-6 through four games to start the season.

The defense as a whole has struggled. Chicago has allowed 21 goals in their four games, for a 4.20 goals-against-per-game average, the third-worst mark in the NHL. With last season's mark falling around 3.29, it suggests the team won't improve on the defensive side of the puck unless they make further adjustments.

Byram is playing heavy minutes and is prone to being on the ice for goals against. But his even-strength numbers are especially rough, with an on-ice goal differential of minus-6, with seven goals against and just one for.

A chance for a fresh start

It hasn't been the smoothest start to the Byram era in Chicago, but Saturday offers a chance to change that against the Carolina Hurricanes. Facing the defending Stanley Cup champions is expected to be an uphill climb, but Byram has had mixed results against Carolina in his career. In nine games against the Hurricanes, he has been minus-2 or worse three times and plus-1 or better four times.

Which version of Byram shows up could determine whether the Hawks can stay in a game that most of the hockey world has already written off. A breakout performance and his first points of the season would be a good place to start.

Carolina has long been a tough opponent for Chicago, and the problems in this matchup have only deepened since 2018. The Hurricanes hold a 50-35-7-5 all-time record over the Blackhawks, and their dominance has been even more pronounced lately, as they are 19-2-2 against Chicago in the last 23 meetings.

If Byram is truly looking to usher in a new era of more competitive Blackhawks hockey, a shocking upset on Saturday would be a great place to start.

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