Blackhawks linked to trade for Stanley Cup-winning defenseman

The Chicago Blackhawks should be one of the more active teams in the NHL this offseason. They have a fair amount of cap space, they’re loaded with draft capital and it’s clear that they need to start putting together a legitimate contender around Connor Bedard.

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has made it clear that the club will be aiming to make some moves this summer, but whether or not Davidson actually follows through remains to be seen.

There does seem to be a different feel around Chicago this time around, though, especially considering the Blackhawks have shown improvement each of the last two seasons and don’t appear to be that far away from contending for a playoff spot.

Davidson and head coach Jeff Blashill have already stated that Chicago will be looking to better its blue line in the coming weeks, so adding a veteran to an incredibly young group of defensemen seems like an inevitability.

On that note, Bleacher Report’s Joe Yerdon has named the Blackhawks a trade destination for Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram.

Chicago Blackhawks linked to trade for Bowen Byram

Byram is preparing to enter the final year of his contract, so the Sabres have been receiving calls about the 25-year-old.

Yerdon put together a list of seven potential landing spots for Byram, and he feels that Chicago makes plenty of sense.

“Chicago is on the hunt for a No. 1 defenseman of their own, and if you slotted Bo Byram onto their blue line, it would help them improve their offense in a big way,” Yerdon wrote. “Adding Byram to a defense corps that’s lacking a veteran presence but has many potentially very talented players could be the move that helps push Chicago out of the lottery and into the playoff picture by giving them someone to help steady their attack.”

Byram was originally selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the fourth overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft and made his professional debut during the 2020-21 campaign. The following year, he played a pivotal role in helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup, leading the playoffs in plus-minus (plus-15).

Colorado then traded Byram to Buffalo midway through the 2023-24 season. This past year, he scored 11 goals while tallying 31 assists, posting a plus-15 plus-minus for the Sabres.

Byram would absolutely represent a terrific pickup for the Blackhawks, so Davidson should absolutely be on the phone trying to swing a deal.

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