FEATURE: Bowen Byram Eager to Call Chicago Home After Blockbuster Trade

Bowen Byram didn’t hesitate when he looked ahead to his future. “I’ve always wanted to be in Chicago,” the defenseman said Wednesday when meeting with media for the first time as a Blackhawk. “I plan on being here for a long time.”

Less than 24 hours earlier, that vision became a reality when Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson acquired the blueliner from the Buffalo Sabres in a Tuesday night deal.

“I’m super excited to end up in Chicago,” Byram said. “It’s been one of my favorite teams growing up. I’m super excited to have this opportunity and I don’t take it lightly. I’m proud to put the Blackhawks jersey on. My dad played in the organization, and it’s always felt like the place that I wanted to end up.”

Bowen’s father, Shawn Byram, appeared in one game for Chicago during the 1991-92 campaign. On Nov. 3, 1991, Byram donned the Blackhawks sweater alongside Chicago greats Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick and Dirk Graham. “He played a game for the Hawks, nothing crazy, but as a young kid, you always think that’s pretty cool,” Byram said. Bowen and Shawn can become the fifth father-son duo in team history, joining Henry & Dave Bassen, Dave & Adam Creighton, Michael & Alex Nylander and Pat & Mike Stapleton.

Byram joins a familiar face in Chicago – forward Connor Bedard – who gave the newly acquired defenseman a phone call on Tuesday night welcoming him to the organization. A native of Cranbrook, British Columbia, Byram has previously trained in the offseason with Bedard, who hails from Vancouver, British Columbia. “I’ve skated with him a few times in the summer in Vancouver,” Byram stated. “I also played World Championships with him. I’m super excited to get the opportunity to play with him. Everyone knows how good of a player he is. I’ll do my best to contribute to his success and the team’s success however I can.

According to Davidson, Byram’s acquisition could be felt by Chicago’s entire roster, especially Bedard. “Connor appreciates the type of player that Bo is because he can provide support,” Davidson explained. “[Byram’s] going to be eating big minutes, transporting pucks and creating offense for our team. I think that's something that appeals to Connor and appeals to our group at large.”

The blueliner is coming off the most productive season of his NHL career, posting a career-high 42 points (11G, 31A) in 82 regular-season games for the Sabres, while tying career highs with 11 goals and 31 assists. Davidson added that he expects Byram will have an instant impact and a smooth transition to the Blackhawks roster. “It’s immediate help,” Davidson described. “It makes us a better team. He’s a proven, legitimate top of the lineup defenseman that we feel can play every situation, step in and be an offensive play driver for us. He fits our style of play, and he fits the age range for our players. We believe in this guy.”

As stated by Davidson, a key incentive for the trade was Byram’s experience and positive influence on Chicago’s young defensive core. Byram, 25, has appeared in 328 career regular-season games, earning 152 points (44G, 108A). He’s also made three trips to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his career and helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

“Our young players like Sam Rinzel and Arty Levshunov are going to be able to sit behind Bo and learn from him and see how he operates,” Davidson explained. “[They’ll] see how he runs the power play and how he can transport the puck up ice. Just learn from a really good defenseman that's been through the rigors of a playoff run, a championship with Colorado, another run with Buffalo, and I think has invaluable experience.”

Byram echoed the similar impact that experienced players played in the growth of his game, sharing, “I was very lucky to have some extremely good leaders and teammates at the start of my career in Denver. Guys that helped me out a ton, not only with hockey, but just with life in general and being a good pro and working on your game.”

After obtaining Byram, Davidson senses a heightened motivation within the roster to improve. “They're a driven group,” expressed Davidson. “They're a motivated group and we're a motivated management group to get better. We want to get better. We want to push and we want to raise our profile around the league. We feel this is certainly a very positive step.”

A massive part of Buffalo’s recent improvement, Byram realizes how fast things can change for a team. “It can happen very quickly if everyone's on the same page and everyone's on board,” Byram discussed. “We were one of the worst teams in the league until the beginning of December and all of a sudden, we ended the season as the top team in the Atlantic. I learned that it can happen quickly when everyone's committed and everyone's doing the right thing.”