Blackhawks rebuild takes major step forward with Byram trade

The Chicago Blackhawks weren’t about to go quietly into the 2026 NHL Draft without pulling out a major move. And what a move they made.

The Blackhawks stunned the NHL by sending the fourth-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Bowen Byram. That move signals the Blackhawks are ready to take the next step in their rebuild.

For one thing, one of the major discussion points following this past season was the Blackhawks’ seeming lack of a true number-one defenseman. While the Hawks have several solid blueline prospects, it might be a while before one of them truly emerges as a high-end defenseman.

Even Alex Vlasic, who essentially became the team’s top guy, doesn’t quite stack up as the real top-pairing defenseman the organization covets.

That’s why Byram makes sense for the organization now. The trade signals to fans that the team is done “rebuilding” and looking to get back into contention.

Byram sends that message. In Buffalo, the former fourth-overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft emerged as a solid top-four blueliner. He played tough minutes during the regular season and eventually gained a significant foothold in the playoffs.

However, Byram didn’t get the chance to truly emerge as a top-pairing guy with Norris Trophy nominee Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson holding down the top pairing. In fact, Byram made a solid pairing with another former first-rounder, Owen Power.

But it was Byram’s impending free agency at the end of next season that likely prompted the Sabres to act now.

Byram’s contract situation will be major question mark

In Chicago, Byram will get the opportunity to prove he’s the number-one guy. He won’t have a defenseman like Dahlin blocking him. If anything, the Blackhawks want him to excel, proving that he was worth the price paid for him.

That’s why this deal has a tremendous upside for the Blackhawks. If it pans out, Chicago will have to top-tier defenseman it hasn’t had since Seth Jones was traded.

And if the deal does work out as intended, the Blackhawks will have a major question mark with Byram’s next contract.

Last summer, the Sabres and Byram had a standoff due to Byram’s restricted free agency. The stalemate ended with both sides agreeing on a short-term deal that would have taken Byram right to unrestricted free agency.

That’s the situation the Blackhawks inherited. Byram is in the final year of his current deal, carrying a $6.25 million cap hit. The challenge will be figuring out a new contract for Byram, especially with the prospect of Connor Bedard’s massive extension looming.

That’s a bridge the Blackhawks and Byram will cross when they get to it. But you have to think that the impending deal will be challenging, as Byram will be looking to get paid. And while the Blackhawks will be happy to oblige, it’s something that has to make sense for all sides involved.

But first thing is first. The Blackhawks need to see if Byram really is a good fit. For the sake of the rebuild and fans’ hopes, it had better be.

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