The fourth overall pick isn't a better option than this Blackhawks trade

In June, the Chicago Blackhawks traded for Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres, in exchange for the Blackhawks' fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, their 2026 second-round pick, and Louis Crevier. At the time, that fourth overall pickseemed like a pretty steep price to pay for Byram. After the trade, the Blackhawks signed Byram to a $75 million contract, making him the highest-paid defender in the league.

Unlike some of the other 'What if' scenarios this week, the Chicago Blackhawks haven't had much time to sit on what may have happened if they hadn't traded for Bowen Byram. Yet, in the spirit of 'What if' week, let's take a peek at what if the Blackhawks hadn't traded for Bowen Byram.

Finding a top defender

If the Blackhawks hadn't traded for and signed Bowen Byram, they still would have been looking for that first-line defender. The team would have needed Alex Vlasic or Louis Crevier, who is now on the Buffalo Sabres, to step up big time, or find someone else to take that mantle. Honestly, there aren't that many options out there.

If the Blackhawks had wanted to hold onto that fourth pick in the 2026 Draft, they could have held out for free agency and looked to sign someone that way. A big name like John Klingberg could have been a good pickup for the team, but he's quite a lot older than Byram. They could have made a pass at Trouba or John Carlson, but neither of those is a long-term option.

The most interesting thing they could have done was play ball with Daniel Briere and offer sheet Jamie Drysdale. The RFA defenseman currently sits on the second pairing for the Philadelphia Flyers, but could take that first-line defender slot on a team with weaker defenders. To get this done, though, they would have had to have done that prior to him electing to go to arbitration.

Lastly, they could have made a different trade. Rumors have been swirling around Morgan Rielly leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Rielly has control over his future, and heading to a team that's not going to be a Cup contender in the next few years likely isn't in his plans.

The Draft

The biggest 'what if' about the Byram trade that we can answer is what the Blackhawks could have gotten with that fourth overall pick. The Buffalo Sabres drafted defenseman Daxon Rudolph with their acquired pick from the Blackhawks. He's the type of offensive defenseman that the Blackhawks would be looking for. Another similar player, Chase Reid, went seventh overall to the Seattle Kraken.

The thing about draft picks is that you never know how long it'll take for them to hit their stride in the NHL. What Byram can give the Blackhawks now, while players like Bedard and Nazr are in their prime, might just prove to be the difference-maker.

Maybe the better question is, what if the Blackhawks had drafted Bowen Byram in the 2019 Entry Draft in the first place? That's another article for another time.

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