Bowen Byram was the highlight of the Chicago Blackhawks’ offseason.
They traded a huge package to the Buffalo Sabres to acquire the star defenseman, and then they signed him to a contract that will pay him $12.5 million per year.
Byram, though, has gotten off to a bumpy start in the Windy City, and everyone is trying to come up with an explanation.
“There’s no sugarcoating it: Bowen Byram’s early results have been ugly,” The Athletic’s Harman Dayal wrote on Saturday. “Offensively, his impact has been virtually nonexistent, as he’s recorded only one point in six games and just one shot on goal at five-on-five. Byram has always been an aggressive rover, skating all over the ice like a fourth forward, but he’s looked overactive at times, even by his own standards, as if he’s trying a bit too hard to live up to his contract.”
The cool part is that Dayal didn’t stop with saying that. He broke things down further.
Bowen Byram’s Own Fault
For a defenseman like Byram, some issues are his fault, and some aren’t.
He himself hasn’t been as sharp on the puck or in his decision-making as he was at times during his Sabres career.
“Byram’s on-ice numbers are even rougher, as he’s driven just a 36.1 percent expected goal rate and has been outscored 7-3 at five-on-five,” Dayal writes. “He’s looked shaky at times defensively. (On one play), he loses inside position on a loose puck recovery, misses a second chance to win a 50/50 battle below the goal line, and Ivan Barbashev makes him pay by setting up a goal.”
By the same token, Byram has started to find ways to turn things around.
“This isn’t the start anybody was hoping for, but it isn’t all doom and gloom,” Dayal writes. “Byram was paired with Alex Vlasic early on, which turned into a tire fire, but his play has been steadier since being paired with Artyom Levshunov. In 66 five-on-five minutes together, Byram and Levshunov have driven a respectable 45.5 percent of shots (which isn’t bad considering the team around them) and have an even goal differential. Connor Bedard’s return from injury should also help. Bedard will share the ice with Byram a lot at even strength and on the power play. He was an instant difference-maker in his first game back against the Penguins, and you could see the trickle-down effect on Byram’s play as well, as he recorded his first point of the season.”
Out of Bowen Byram’s Control
Byram hasn’t gotten a ton of help from his teammates.
“Despite how ugly the numbers look, I’d argue that the Blackhawks’ woeful defensive environment is making Byram look worse than he actually is,” Dayal writes. “When you watch Byram, his teammates often turn pucks over carelessly, lose battles, or get caught up the ice and out of position. All of this has led to situations where Byram is left on an island as the only defender back with no support; these plays lead to Grade-A chances against, which hurt his on-ice numbers, even though he’s often not the one responsible for the breakdown.”
This trade won’t really grade itself until years from now, when the likes of Louis Crevier, Daxon Rudolph (No. 4 pick) and Olen Zellweger (acquired in another trade for No. 45 pick) reach their primes.
But it’ll be up to Byram to help hold up most of the Blackhawks’ side of the trade (they also got Jordan Greenway in the deal).
“So far, Byram hasn’t shown any signs he’s a true No. 1, and I’d be skeptical he’ll ever live up to his $12.5 million ticket,” Dayal writes. “At the same time, though, it wouldn’t be surprising if his game meaningfully turns a corner now that he’s perhaps found a better fit with Levshunov and has Bedard back.”
Maybe the Blackhawks reacted too much to Byram’s big postseason, but they’ll just have to hope they’re more right than they’ve looked so far.
Inside Bowen Byram’s Rough Blackhawks Start After Sabres Trade