If Bowen Byram is the best player available at No. 3, the Blackhawks won't shy away from drafting another defenseman

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Just a few months ago, it seemed a foregone conclusion that either Kirby Dach or Dylan Cozens would land behind top prospects Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

As the season progressed, however, something changed. NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr stopped hearing about Dach and Cozens for the No. 3 spot.

Canadian defenseman Bowen Byram’s name started surfacing, first a little and then overwhelmingly.

“It was Dach and Cozens, Dach and Cozens,” Marr said. “Our guys keep going to games, and they’re like, ‘We love (Byram).’ We never even had a call or conversation about it. Then we got to the meetings, and everybody had him No. 3. Everybody.”

Bryam is the No. 3 prospect in Central Scouting’s rankings, but that won’t matter to the Blackhawks if they prefer Dach, Cozens, Chicago-area prospect Alex Turcotte or another player when they pick third in the June 21-22 draft.

The Hawks took three defensemen — Adam Boqvist, Henri Jokiharju and Nicolas Beaudin — in the first round over the last two drafts. They have made it clear they’ll pick the best player available — even if it’s another defenseman.

“I don’t even think (past picks) are going to factor in Chicago’s thinking,” Marr said. “They’re going to take the very best player. You can never have enough good players. So you’re going to get the best player at his position in this year’s draft. That’s an asset and sometimes you have to … juggle your assets.”

Byram already was a top prospect before having an explosive 2018-19 season for the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants. After scoring 27 points (6 goals, 21 assists) in 60 games as a 16-year-old, he nearly tripled his total last season, finishing with 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists).

“I think I’ve improved a lot over the last year,” Byram said last week at the NHL scouting combine. “Even within the year from Christmastime to the end of (the WHL) playoffs. I think I’ve grown a lot as a person as well, so it was definitely a good year for me.”

If the Hawks do select Byram, he’ll be the second member of his family to play for the organization. His father, Shawn, was a fourth-round pick of the Islanders in 1986 and appeared in five NHL games, including one with the Hawks on Nov. 3, 1991.

Not surprisingly, Byram credits his love of hockey to his dad.

“He’s probably the reason I play hockey,” Byram said. “Me growing up around him was huge. He’s always got tips for me.”

Byram is one of a handful of prospects who could make the leap to the NHL in the fall. The Hawks might not have room for Byram and could prefer he put on some muscle, but the 6-foot, 194-pounder — who doesn’t turn 18 until June 13 — believes he is ready to go.

“I’m a confident player,” Byram said. “I’m confident in my abilities. I think I can play next year. Obviously, I’ve got a long way to go in the offseason strengthwise. I need to make adjustments to my game to be able to play there. … I think I’m ready.”

jgreenfield@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jcgreenx

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