The Chicago Blackhawks are feeling the pressure as they head into the NHL Draft and prepare for the 2026-27 season. They made a move this week that has been widely panned by top observers as they acquired defenseman Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres for the No. 4 and 45 picks along with defenseman Louis Crevier.
This is clearly a move that will have a huge impact on the future of general manager Kyle Davidson, who believes that Byram will become the team’s top defenseman. He needs that to happen rather quickly and it’s not just a matter of asserting himself on the blue line. He must become a key offensive factor and he has to bring out the best in star forward Connor Bedard.
The Blackhawks also added forward Jordan Greenway in the trade, a 6-6, 231-pound veteran who can be a physical presence but has lacked scoring touch.
The 25-year-old Byram has played six years in the NHL, and the last three have been with the Sabres after starting his career with the Colorado Avalanche. Byram is coming off of his best season as he scored 11 goals and 31 assists for the Sabres and he also demonstrated that he could quarterback the team’s power play. He picked up his play in the postseason with 4 goals and 3 assists in 13 Stanley Cup playoff games.
Bedard has already welcomed Byram to the Blackhawks, as he called the defenseman shortly after learning of the trade. He knows Byram is capable of leading the rush and setting up the team’s offensive attack, and that should play right into Bedard’s hands because the former No. 1 overall pick (2023) has such an impressive shot. He has been driving the Blackhawks since his arrival and Byram’s arrival could make it easier for him to fill the net.
Blackhawks need established players, particularly on the blue line
The overall reaction to the trade is that Davidson gave up too much for a good, young defenseman who is not yet a star. However, Davidson has defended the move by saying the team needs established veteran players more than it needs prospects at this point.
“No. 1, it provides us with a proven, legitimate, top-of-the-line defenseman,” Davidson said, at a post-trade press conference. “We feel he can play every situation, step in, and be an offensive play driver for us, run the power play but also provide a player who can play left and right side, which we believe provides better development opportunities for some of our young defensemen.
“He fits the style of play that we want to play. He fits that the age range that we want to put our players into and have our players grow together within. And so it just made a lot of sense.”
The move has left the Blackhawks with a pair of second-round draft choices at No. 34 and 37. It would not be a shock to see additional trades involving those selections if they are able to pick up a veteran forward.
Prior to the Byram trade, the Blackhawks appeared to be interested in finding a star forward who could take some of the scoring burden off of Bedard’s shoulders. However, the trade for a No. 1 defenseman — at least in Davidson’s mind — makes it a long shot that they will make a move for a big-name scoring forward at this point.
Potential for another blockbuster trade
The Blackhawks may have traded the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft, but they have a boatload of assets coming up next year. They have three first-round picks in the 2027 NHL Draft, and it seems quite likely that those picks will be in play at some point.
Davidson has made the point that his team has enough young and talented players and that the idea of drafting 18-year-old prospects is far from a sure thing when it comes to production. Elite prospects in the NHL don’t come through at the same rate they do in other sports, and the idea of trading future picks for game-changing players makes a lot of sense for a team that has not won a playoff series since they won the 2015 Stanley Cup.
They have only been to the playoffs once since the 2016-17 season. This is a team that is desperate to earn a spot in the postseason. Trading the 2027 first-round choices has to be enticing for Davidson, but moving those picks at this point could also be reckless. Davidson has no idea where those picks will land next season and trading them away without some kind of protection could cost the team a potential superstar.
A bit of patience may be required, and while Davidson could be tempted to trade future draft picks, free agency is coming up July 1 and there is no reason the Blackhawks can’t get involved in that area in an attempt to further strengthen the team.
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