Bowen Byram was once the fourth overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft. Since then, he has been traded twice, including when Byram was traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the fourth overall selection in this year’s draft, among other assets.
Now, Byram is speaking out about joining the Blackhawks, and his comments should excite fans, per Tracey Myers of NHL.com.
“I feel this was probably my most consistent year in the NHL,” Byram said. “Part of that is just growing up and maturing and learning how to play, learning how to take care of yourself so you feel the best you can every night. On the on-ice side, I felt like things started to click for me on both sides of the puck, not only offensively but defensively. But I think I’m just scratching the surface of what I can do as well. I’m confident in myself, and I’m really excited for this opportunity because it’s going to be a chance for me to blossom into the player I think I can be.”
Byram is coming off his two best seasons of his NHL career. He has played in 82 games in each of the last two years, while amassing 18 goals and 62 assists. Further, he helped the Sabres get to the second round of the playoffs, their first playoff berth since 2011. Chicago GM Kyle Davidson hopes Byram can have a similar impact in Chicago.
“He’s going to be provided an opportunity to grow his profile, grow into his game, but (also) provide an elite play-driving influence into our lineup,” Davidson said. “He’s already one of the top 5-on-5 play drivers in the League, and that’s before he even gets on the first power-play unit. So, we’re going to be able to provide that to him. We’re going to provide him the opportunity to become one of the top defensemen around the League, and we feel 100 percent wholeheartedly that he can be that guy and he will be that guy. So, when you take it like that — a top-pair defenseman and we feel a potential No. 1 defenseman — there aren’t many pieces around the League that are more valuable than that.”
Bryam, who just turned 25-years old, will also be the veteran leader on a young defensive core. Four of the current other blueliners expected to make an impact this year are 23 or younger. Bryam says he is ready for the opprotunity in Chicago, but only time will tell if he will meet expectations.
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