The Chicago Blackhawks have been building through the draft for the past few years, stacking their pipeline with lots of young talent. However, after a disappointing 2025-2026 season, general manager Kyle Davidson felt it was time to start pushing for more wins. That meant landing a veteran who can be a difference-maker on this team. After examining the market, Chicago set their sights on Buffalo Sabers defenseman Bowen Byram. It made sense. The 24-year-old was coming off his best season yet, displaying terrific offensive skills as a defender and offering tons of value on the power play.
There were two sticking points for Blackhawks fans. First was the cost to get him, which involved the 4th overall pick, a 2nd round pick, and a player. The other was his contract. Byram only has one year left on his deal. He needs an extension. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman provided an update on that situation. The good news is that the veteran is likely to sign his deal in the next couple of days on July 1st. It also won’t go eight full years in length. That said, the money is expected to be significant.
“I do think we’ll see a Bowen Byram extension. He can sign on July 1. I think that’ll happen. I don’t think it’ll be an eight-year deal. The word was he was only willing to sign for four. It’s not going to be four, it’s going to be longer than that. I don’t think it’ll be eight, but it’s going to be a pretty big number, I think.”
Bowen Byram should be worth the money.
Current projections have him making somewhere between $10 million and 12.5 million per year. If it’s not the full eight years, it will probably be five or six. If he gets the high-end number, that will make him the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL. That honor currently belongs to Erik Karlsson, a five-time All-Star and three-time Norris trophy winner. So you can understand why some Blackhawks fans are grumbling about paying Byram that much money. He has not made an All-Star team yet in his career.
That said, his stats over the past two seasons suggest he is right in that zone. All-Star defensemen usually average around 12-15 goals and 40+ assists in a season. Bowen Byram had 11 goals and 31 assists last season. He’s trending in the right direction and just now entering his prime. If he can maintain production somewhere in that window for most of his coming contract, it will be a worthwhile investment from the Blackhawks.
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This move will look better if one more objective is accomplished.
That is finding a top-6 wing to pair with Connor Bedard. Most people felt that it should’ve been the Blackhawks’ priority from the beginning. Maximizing their young star is a must. Yes, their defense hasn’t been good for a long time, but getting the most out of your best players is the first key to winning. The good news is that even after Byram signs his extension, the team will still have plenty of cap space to take another swing, be it in free agency or the trade market.
They’ve already been mentioned in connection with Jason Robertson and Alex DeBrincat. They could also make runs at Alex Tuch and Anthony Mantha as well. Landing any of those names would make Chicago’s offseason look ten times better. They’ll have addressed their two biggest needs with proven producers, all while maintaining plenty of young assets for the future. So much will come to light over the next 72 hours, both with Byram’s contract and who else the team may target.
