One of the Chicago Blackhawks' top needs of the off-season is an impactful left-shot defenseman. It is clear that the left side of their blueline is in need of a real boost. Due to this, the Blackhawks should strongly consider targeting Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram. The 25-year-old defenseman has been creating plenty of chatter in the rumor mill as of late as a trade candidate. Recently, TSN's Darren Dreger reported that Byram is generating interest from multiple teams this off-season. Given the Blackhawks' need for a top-four left-shot defenseman, it would make sense if they entered the sweepstakes for the Sabres blueliner. "Multiple teams exploring a trade with the Buffalo Sabres involving Dman, Bo Byram. Byram has 1 yr left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted Free Agent. Agent, Darren Ferris has some history with marching players to the open market. Motivation for trade consideration," Dreger posted on X [https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2067611103090139253]. If the Blackhawks acquired Byram, he could be a strong fit on the their top pairing and would give them a clear option for both their power play and penalty kill because of his strong all-around play. Yet, even if he played second-pairing minutes for the Blackhawks, he would greatly improve their top four if acquired. In 82 games this past season with the Sabres, Byram scored 11 goals and set new career highs with 42 points and a plus-15 rating. He also had four goals and seven points in 13 playoff games for the Sabres this spring. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for a Blackhawks club looking to take that next step in 2026-27.
