Chicago Blackhawks Fleeced In Byram Blockbuster Trade

The Chicago Blackhawks traded the 4th overall pick, the 45th overall pick, and Louis Crevier to the Buffalo Sabres for Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway. This deal is a massive overpay. Giving up a top-five draft asset for a pending free agent defenseman and a fourth-line forward is terrible asset management. In the real world, you earn your keep before you cash the check. Chicago just paid full price for a promise.

Why did the Chicago Blackhawks trade the 4th overall pick?

Chicago management wanted a top defenseman. Byram is an incredible talent who feels overshadowed in Buffalo by Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, and Owen Power. Byram wants number one ice time and the paycheck that comes with it. That is the American dream. You work hard, you produce, and you get paid. However, Byram has one year left on his current deal with a $6.25 million cap hit. After that, he will demand a substantial pay upgrade. His salary will likely double. The Blackhawks just bought high on a guy who has not yet proven he can carry a team from the top of the defensive chart.

Is Bowen Byram worth the massive contract extension?

Byram is just 25 years old. He has great hockey ahead of him. But paying a player based on potential instead of proven merit is a dangerous game. The Blackhawks surrendered their most valuable asset, the 4th overall pick, plus a second-round pick and a solid defenseman in Louis Crevier. That is a steep price for a player who might walk in a year or demand a contract that becomes an albatross. If Byram signs a fair extension and becomes the true number one defenseman for the Connor Bedard era, the math changes. Right now, the risk outweighs the reward.

Connor Bedard left stranded by poor asset management

Connor Bedard still has a huge hole on his wing. The Blackhawks failed to get him a true top-line winger. If they cannot fix that, it will be four years in a row that Bedard starts his career without legitimate support. That is a failure of leadership. You do not waste the prime years of your franchise player. Bad management is bad management, whether it is in Washington or Chicago. The Blackhawks gave up a lot for Byram, but they still left their best soldier without the weapons he needs.

Jordan Greenway is not the answer

Jordan Greenway brings a physical presence to the game. He is a fourth-line option for Jeff Blashill. He is not a game-changer. You cannot point to Greenway as a reason the team will be better. He is a roster filler, not a difference maker.

Blackhawks Trade Grade: D+

Early on, this trade has the makings of a legitimate disaster for the Chicago Blackhawks. They gave up a top-five pick and a second-round pick for Bowen Byram without an extension and a fourth-line forward. The trade grade will become a C if Byram signs a fair extension. It will become an A if he is the true number one defenseman the Blackhawks need. For now, there are way too many question marks. The Blackhawks should have taken Byram 3rd overall in 2019, but overpaying for him 7 years later is bad business.

What did the Blackhawks give up for Bowen Byram?

The Chicago Blackhawks gave up the 4th overall pick, the 45th overall pick, and defenseman Louis Crevier to the Buffalo Sabres.

Is Jordan Greenway a top-line forward?

No. Jordan Greenway is a fourth-line forward who brings a physical presence but is not considered a game-changing player.

What is the Blackhawks trade grade for the Byram deal?

The trade grade is a D+. The Blackhawks gave up too much for a player without a contract extension and a fourth-line forward.