Chicago Blackhawks

Trade Regret? Byram’s Mysterious Health Status Has Blackhawks Fans Concerned

Bowen Byram won’t return to the Blackhawks until he sees a “certain specialist,” his agent says, as the defenseman’s health is concerning.

by
NHL Trade Talk
November 8, 2026

The Chicago Blackhawks have got to be worried about the situation involving defenseman Bowen Byram. Medically cleared to return, Byram still hasn’t, and his agent, Darren Ferris, said his client won’t until he sees a “certain specialist.” This update comes according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who noted during the Saturday Headlines report that Byram’s camp and the Blackhawks wanted to clarify his health issues.

Byram has missed several games and an unspecified upper-body injury is keeping him out of the lineup while the Blackhawks are essentially falling apart. They’ve plummeted down the standings, and reports now suggest the organization is scrambling, trying to find trade partners and add pieces to help the team get out of an early hole. Byram was supposed to be a big part of their success. They invested heavily in him, and his absence is worrisome.

The Blackhawks have not revealed the nature of the problem, which has fueled speculation, including whether it could be a concussion, an issue that affected Byram during his time with the Colorado Avalanche.

Coach Jeff Blashill has pushed back on that theory. Reporter Mark Lazerus said Blashill told him definitively a couple of weeks ago that it is not a concussion. Blashill had no update this week. “Obviously we’d like to have him in the lineup, but it’s not necessarily something that’s concerning, I wouldn’t say that. I started with day-to-day and it’s been a lot of days. You wish it wasn’t that, but no, I wouldn’t call it concerning.”

Others are less certain. Mike Harrington noted that Byram was seen skating on the ice before he stopped and disappeared, saying “anything and everything is a possibility.”

The Worst Possible Timing for the Blackhawks

The timing is difficult for Chicago. Byram signed a six-year, $75 million contract this summer. There was chatter that the Blackhawks overvalued what he could provide, but Byram truly believed he was an NHL No. 1 defenseman. He managed one assist and a minus-seven in six games before getting hurt, while averaging more than 24 minutes a night. That said, he hasn’t played enough to prove the Blackhawks right.

Fans are already saying the trade to acquire him and the huge contract that followed were big mistakes. That may be premature, but the early returns are not good.

The Blackhawks have struggled without him and sit at 4-12-1 to start the season. Chicago is counting on Byram as a core piece of any climb up the standings once he is healthy, but there is no timeline for his return.

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