The Blackhawks’ blue line is where a lot of the real conversation starts, and this season it comes with a new name at the top. Bowen Byram is in the mix after signing a six-year deal with a $12.5 million average annual value on July 1, just days after Chicago sent away the fourth-overall pick, the 45th pick, and defenseman Louis Crevier in the draft.
Byram arrives with plenty of production attached. He is coming off a career year with 42 points, including 11 goals and 31 assists.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson made the organization’s view clear: “We feel 100 percent and wholeheartedly that he can be that guy and will be that guy,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said. “A potential No. 1 defenseman, there aren’t many pieces around the league that are more valuable than that.”
That kind of belief changes the way the rest of the defense can be shaped. Byram brings a heavy shot from the back end and looks like a natural fit to settle in as a top-four defenseman for Chicago.
Artyom Levshunov is the other big name in the picture, and the expectations come with the territory. The second-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft has the tools to become a productive offensive defenseman, but last season brought plenty of inconsistency in where and how he was used. He has speed in his game, yet he spent time on the third pair and only got occasional work on special teams.
“Obviously, it’s not easy. It’s the best players in this league,” Levshunov said with The Athletic’s Scott Powers (How the Blackhawks’ Artyom Levshunov is embracing Chicago and committing to his next step, The Athletic, July 30, 2026.)
“But when you get more experience every game, of course, you feel a little bit better. You feel comfortable.
You feel way better. You get used to it.”
If there’s a player on the roster who keeps getting overlooked, it might be Alex Vlasic. The 6-foot-6 Chicagoland native and 43rd pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has steadily built a reputation as a reliable presence on the back end, even if his name doesn’t always get the same attention as some of the flashier defenders.
His defensive-zone reads, active stick, and transition game have pushed him from “dark horse” territory into the conversation for a bigger role. He also led all Blackhawks defensemen in blocked shots in each of the last three seasons, and despite his size, he moves smoothly all over the ice.
“I worked a lot more with puck-handling and trying to keep the puck on my stick in difficult situations,” Vlasic said. “When you’re getting swarmed, it’s not going to be an easy pass to make. You do have to be comfortable under those situations.”
That sets up a projected group that starts with Bowen Byram and Alex Vlasic together, followed by Wyatt Kaiser with Artyom Levshunov and Ian Cole with Sam Rinzel. Ethan Del Mastro and Kevin Korchinski are listed as extras.
The fit in front of Spencer Knight matters too. Chicago’s defensive structure has to work in support of a goalie who could be an underdog for one of the league’s top goaltenders.
If the Blackhawks go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, Del Mastro looks like the cleaner option, especially with Korchinski’s future with the team still uncertain. Korchinski has been decent in the American Hockey League, but the expectation here is that he won’t see as much ice time as many expected.
There are still some clear ideas for how the pairings could shake out. Byram and Vlasic make obvious sense together, while Kaiser and Levshunov showed good chemistry last season and could be worth keeping as a pair.
On the power play, Kaiser has made a strong case to run one of the units, whether that means handling the second group on his own or alternating with Vlasic or Levshunov. If Byram handles the top power-play unit, Chicago would have a real chance to lean on a top-four defenseman with elite upside.
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