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The newest member of the Chicago Blackhawks’ defensive corps is reportedly on the verge of a lucrative contract extension that would make him among the NHL’s highest-paid defensemen.
On Monday’s episode of 32 Thoughts, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the Blackhawks are expected to sign Bowen Byram to a new contract when he becomes eligible for an extension on July 1. Friedman claims it will be a long-term deal that carries a significant cap hit.
“I do think we’ll see a Bowen Byram extension [on July 1]. I don’t think it will be an eight-year deal,” Friedman said at roughly the 48:20 mark of the episode. “It’s not going to be four, it’ll be longer than that, but it’s going to be a pretty big number, I think.”
Both Byram and Blackhawks’ general manager Kyle Davidson expressed mutual interest in working out an extension as soon as possible when speaking with the media following last week’s trade with the Buffalo Sabres. The 25-year-old emphasized that he’s prepared and excited to be in Chicago for a long time, and Davidson made it clear he’s ready to make that happen.
“We’re confident Bo wants to be here, and we’ll be able to make sure he’s here for an extended period of time,” Davidson said. “We’re really excited about that… It will be a top priority as we enter July.”
Davidson also recognized that it won’t come cheap to re-sign Byram, who’s coming off two terrific seasons in Western New York. He posted a career-high 42 points in 2025-26, helping the Sabres lead a dramatic second-half turnaround that snapped the franchise’s 14-year playoff drought. Byram also produced seven points in 13 postseason games while averaging just shy of 22:30 per match.
“Bowen’s age and expiration status as an unrestricted free agent next summer at 26, it’s incredibly rare, incredibly valuable to a player, especially in this burgeoning, upper-limit cap market… We’ll have to put our money where our mouth is literally and figuratively because we believe in this guy. We have to respect that and honor that in some way. That’s something we’ll have to reckon with in contract negotiations. We’re okay paying great players, and if there’s an opportunity to acquire and retain a player we believe is elite and a star, we’ll do so and won’t blink in doing it.”
Based on the package traded to Buffalo, which included the No. 4 & No. 45 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, plus blossoming defenseman Louis Crevier, it’s clear the Blackhawks have a strong belief in Byram and his abilities. His upcoming contract will also prove just how confident they are in his potential to become a No. 1 defenseman, as he’s set to get paid like one before actually having to ever fill into that role.
Byram is expected to receive a cap hit north of $10 million on his next deal, and it reportedly could be even as high as $12-12.5 million. Ahead of free agency, 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.
While Byram doesn’t have the proven track record of a No. 1 defenseman, it’s also somewhat to no fault of his own. With Cale Makar ahead of him in Colorado, then Rasmus Dahlin as the primary minute-muncher in Buffalo, there wasn’t an opportunity for Byram to be the go-to guy with either organization. But now in Chicago, the 2019 No. 4 overall pick finally gets a chance to show that he can be the premier piece of a blue line.
Of course, without any previous experience in that position, it’s a gamble for the Blackhawks to shell out as much money for Byram as they’re about to. However, that’s a risk Davidson appears more than willing to take, as he recognizes that roster improvements are necessary for his rebuild to make significant progress next season.
The Blackhawks’ primary objective for 2026-27 is to become more competitive and win more games, and Byram will help that cause. But for how much money he’s about to collect — and considering how much Davidson shipped out via trade to acquire him — Byram’s contract, for however much he ends up signing for, could be a fascinating talking point moving forward in the rebuild.
Hopefully, Byram can quickly cement himself as a cornerstone defender next season to shut down any potential contract critics, of which there will surely be many. Especially if he’s on the cusp of becoming the NHL’s highest-paid defenseman.
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The post Byram Expected To Sign Significant Extension With Blackhawks on July 1 appeared first on Chicago Hockey Now.
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