Blackhawks finalizing extension with Bowen Byram

Once pen is put to paper, Byram’s salary with Chicago, beginning in the 2027-28 season, will become the highest salary the franchise has ever awarded. Byram’s expected $12.5M salary is $2M more than what Chicago signed Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews for back in 2014. However, for the sake of comparison, Kane and Toews each accounted for 14.7% of the salary cap in the first year of their deals, whereas Byram will only account for approximately 11%.

Furthermore, the contract is fairly similar to the one Seth Jones signed with the Blackhawks in 2021. On the day they acquired him from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago signed Jones to an eight-year, $76M contract.

It’s a hefty extension, no doubt, but it could look good for the Blackhawks. Throughout the last two years with the Buffalo Sabres, Byram has registered 18 goals and 80 points in 164 games played with a +26 rating, averaging 22:31 of ice time per game. In both years, he would have been the highest-scoring defenseman with Chicago, and that’s while playing second- and even third-fiddle with the Sabres. Now, being the undisputed top option with the Blackhawks, Byram will have access to much more playing time at even strength and on the powerplay.

Although he has shown flashes of solid two-way play with the Sabres, Byram is more offensive-minded by nature. He had some deficiencies on the defensive side of the puck with the Sabres, but he should help the Blackhawks with their possession metrics at the very least.

Regardless, Byram will impressively double his salary on his new deal with the Blackhawks. Still only 25 years old, Byram will be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2032-33 campaign at 32 years old. Once his new extension with Chicago is signed, the Blackhawks will have another hefty extension to work out with franchise center Connor Bedard.