Chicago Blackhawks
· 2026-06-30
The Chicago Blackhawks are set to sign Bowen Byram to a lucrative contract extension on July 1.
Byram will become one of the NHL's highest-paid defensemen with a cap hit over $10 million.
The Blackhawks acquired Byram in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres and are now set to extend his contract.
Bowen Byram expressed mutual interest in working out an extension with Blackhawks' general manager Kyle Davidson.
The extension will make Byram among the top-paid defensemen in the NHL, with a cap hit potentially as high as $12-12.5 million.
The Blackhawks are currently 15th in the Western Conference with a 29-39 record, on a W1 streak.
Byram is expected to receive a long-term deal that will keep him in Chicago for an extended period.
The Blackhawks have a strong belief in Byram's abilities and are willing to pay him like a No. 1 defenseman.
Byram posted a career-high 42 points in 2025-26, helping the Sabres lead a dramatic second-half turnaround.
He also produced seven points in 13 postseason games while averaging just shy of 22:30 per match.
The Blackhawks traded the No. 4 and No. 45 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, plus blossoming defenseman Louis Crevier, to acquire Byram.
Davidson recognized that re-signing Byram won't come cheap, but the team is confident in his potential.
Byram's upcoming contract will prove just how confident the Blackhawks are in his potential to become a No. 1 defenseman.
The league's highest-paid defenseman is currently Erik Karlsson with the Pittsburgh Penguins, with a cap hit of $11.5 million for 2026-27.
Byram could be in line to match or even surpass that figure in just over 24 hours.