Bowen Byram says he’s ready for his new opportunity as the No. 1 defenseman for the Blackhawks
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Associated PressThu, June 25, 2026 at 3:37 PM UTC·4 min readCHICAGO — Bowen Byram got the opportunity he wanted in a place he wanted to go. He thinks he’s ready.
So do the Chicago Blackhawks — and they paid a hefty price because of that belief.
Byram is stepping in as Chicago’s No. 1 defenseman after he was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres. The Blackhawks sent the No. 4 and No. 45 selections in the NHL draft and defenseman Louis Crevier to the Sabres for Byram and physical forward Jordan Greenway.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“To be honest, I feel like I’ve just been preparing for an opportunity like this for a long time,” Byram said.
Byram, who just turned 25 on June 13, had 11 goals and a career-high 42 points for Buffalo last season. He was part of a strong group of defensemen who helped the Sabres to the Atlantic Division title and the franchise’s first playoff appearance since the 2010-11 season.
But Byram never has been the top defenseman on his NHL team. He played with Cale Makar in Colorado at the beginning of his career and Rasmus Dahlin in Buffalo. He also is eligible for free agency after this season, putting him in line for a lucrative extension before he suits up for his first game with Chicago.
“I think at the end of the day, I can’t get too carried away with anything,” Byram said. “I’ve just got to come in and prove what I can do. I know that I’m confident in myself. You know I feel that, after this move, the Blackhawks are confident in me, so it’s a great feeling to have a team believing in you.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementThen there is the cost of the trade. While the top forward prospects likely will be gone by the No. 4 pick, Chicago could have used the selection on one of the top defensemen — albeit one that probably wouldn’t have been able to help the team for a while. Crevier, 25, also made major strides last season, finishing with seven goals and 18 assists in 78 games.
The Blackhawks haven’t made a postseason appearance since the NHL used an expanded playoff format after the 2020 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This was just a value that we put on a really, really good young player in Bo that we felt it was advantageous to move on and acquire for our group,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said. “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 No. 4 pick also could have played a role in finding some help for Connor Bedard on the team’s top line. While remaining open to another trade, Davidson said he likes the team’s internal options at forward. Roman Kantserov, one of the team’s top prospects, is coming over from Russia after agreeing to an entry-level contract in May.
Bedard is on his way to a big contract this summer. He has skated with Byram in the summer in the past, and the two played together for Team Canada in the 2024 world championships. The players spoke on the phone.
“We’re just both excited,” Byram said. “I’m super excited to get the opportunity to play with him. Everyone knows how good of a player he is.”
Byram’s father, Shawn, played for Chicago on Nov. 3, 1991, in the last of his five NHL games. The Blackhawks had a chance to take Byram in the 2019 draft, but they opted for Kirby Dach at No. 3 and Byram went to the Avalanche at No. 4.
Byram also cheered for the Blackhawks while growing up in western Canada.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“It’s funny how things have kind of come full circle,” he said.
Byram joins a group of promising young defensemen in Chicago that includes Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel and Kevin Korchinski — all first-round draft picks who have experienced some growing pains since coming into the league. The Blackhawks also have Alex Vlasic going into his sixth NHL season.
Byram said he is ready to share what he has learned on the road from the top of the draft to regular minutes on the blue line.
“I don’t think I’ll necessarily try to change the world or anything when I come into the locker room,” Byram said. “Just going to try to be myself. And you know I’m a vocal guy to begin with, so I don’t think that’ll stop in this situation.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementGreenway, 29, had a goal and five assists in 40 games with the Sabres last season. Davidson said the 6-foot-6 Greenway can kill penalties, and he brings a physical element to the team’s bottom two lines.
"He’s a really big body that can get in on the forecheck and make life difficult for opposing defenders and that’s something that we wanted to improve,” Davidson said.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
