Will Bowen Byram live up to the high cost?

For Chicago Blackhawks' player stroylines entering the 2026-27 season, defenseman Bowen Byram was the biggest acquisition of the Chicago Blackhawks' offseason; parting with the fourth overall pick and defenseman Louis Crevier for him.

General manager Kyle Davidson was high on Byram. He loved the experience he could bring to the Blackhawks defense, and he loved what he could be. As Davidson said, "We're going to be able to provide the opportunity to become one of the top defensemen around the league, and we feel 100 percent and wholeheartedly that he can be that guy, and he will be that guy. And so, when you take it like that, a top pairing defenseman, and we feel a potential number one defenseman, that there's not many pieces around the league that are more valuable than that."

What can be expected of Byram?

Byram was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft- the draft where many believed he should've been the pick for the Blackhawks at third overall. But that can be forgiven now, right?

The fourth overall pick is expected to be a top player. In this case, a no. 1 defenseman. Someone who plays in all situations (which Davidson noted he envisions with Byram), and is invaluable to the team's overall blue line.

From Byram's time with both the Buffalo Sabres and the Colorado Avalanche (where he won a Stanley Cup), he has been an asset for playoff teams.

His 82-game average for time on ice is 21:19 minutes, and he was 27th among NHL defensemen last season in scoring. Also, he was second-best among the Sabres' defense behind Rasmus Dahlin's 74 points.

All those traits are favorable.

As our Jeremiah Lee already wrote, Byram has intangibles to be a top defenseman, but with the previous teams he was on, he was behind other elite defensemen like Cale Makar and Dahlin.

Now, he's not.

Will Byram prove he was worth the acquisition?

That's the $75 million question, given the mega six-year deal the Blackhawks gave him. His contract currently has him as the NHL's highest-paid defenseman (contract starts in 2027-28)

Byram is looking forward to the opportunity to show his potential. As he said after the trade, reflecting on what he improved on last season with Buffalo, "On the hockey side... or the on-ice side... I kind of felt like things started to click for me on both sides of the puck. Not only offensively but defensively. But I just think I'm just scratching the surface of what I can do, as well. I'm confident in myself, like I said, and I'm really excited for this opportunity because I think it's going to be a chance for me to really blossom into the player I think I can be."

The 25 year old also touched on the power play, "I feel like over the last year, or so, I've had a little bit more of an opportunity on the power play in Buffalo. Nothing crazy, but it's something that I'm going to continue to work on and try to help the Hawks' power play grow and develop into one of the best in the NHL."

The Blackhawks gave him the big bucks for a reason. Considering the Blackhawks' power play woes, being fourth-worst in the league (16.9 percent), their goals-against per game were sixth-worst (3.29 goals), and their goals per game were third-worst (2.56). Byram should help improve those numbers.

If Byram is effective on both sides of the puck like he said happened for him in Buffalo last season, and helps his team take the next step, then he will be worth the high cost of the contract and the trade itself.

There's a lot on Byram's shoulders, but he's eager knowing all that is left is to play the game.

Byram said on his Blackhawks' extension, "Yeah, I think it's pretty special. I feel like I've touched on it prior to this, but they've (shown) a lot of faith in me, and they've given up a lot and committed to me in many, many ways. So, now the ball's in my court to perform. So, I'm excited for that opportunity. I'm excited for that challenge. But yeah, it means the world."

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