• 0 Shares

• Updated Jun 25, 2026 at 12:17pm

Getty

The Toronto Maple Leafs could land a coveted, talented RFA blue liner in a swap with the Buffalo Sabres this summer.

The Chicago Blackhawks made a major addition to their team this week with the blockbuster acquisition of defenseman Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres. Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson has made the current squad better, but at the cost of high value assets to do so. That includes the loss of their fourth overall selection in the 2026 entry draft.

The newest Blackhawk will need to be extended soon by his new team. The 25 year old Canadian defenseman is heading into the final season of his current $6.25 million deal. He does not need to sign until next summer, but is eligible to receive an extension as early as July 1st. Byram looks set to receive a major raise with the shifting landscape of the NHL marketplace.

Bowen Byram Extension will be Rich

Byram is in a position to cash in on his next deal. He is coming off of a career-best season with his former Buffalo team, amassing 11 goals and 31 assists in 82 regular season games. He performed well in the playoffs as well, touting four goals and three assists in 13 games.

He will be entering his prime as he joins a team where he is expected to be a number one defenseman. Considering the amount of cap space Chicago has at their disposal and with the rising league economy, Byram can command a pretty penny. His agent has plenty of leverage in these negotiations.

The question is what that contract could look like. Insider Darren Dreger believes Byram’s deal could come in as much as 12-13 million per year. That would be approximately double the amount he is making on his current contract that comes off the books in 2027.

This would be an issue for most teams that are strapped to the cap. However, the Blackhawks have over $30 million to work with via Puck Pedia. With that said, this deal and Connor Bedard’s future extension will eat up a good chunk of that cap room.

Byram Camp Could be Waiting for a Contract Number to be Set

Byram can either sign this offseason or wait a year. In terms of the timeline, it would not be surprising to see this can kicked down the road. Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos believes the Byram camp could be waiting on a number to be set. The impending extensions on the horizon that will change the market for defensemen drastically are Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. Like Byram, both players are due for an extension upon conclusion of the 2027 campaign.

Once Byram has signed, the pressure will be on for him to perform. He is likely to receive a number that would be an overpayment in the present period. But, the Blackhawks think they have found a guy who could be their top defenseman of the future down the line. If Byram can live up to that vision, this trade could be worth it in the long run for Chicago. Until then, there will be skepticism in regards to the pay off of this move by the team. Only time will tell how this development plays out for the Original 6 franchise.