PRESS CONFERENCE: Kyle Davidson Addresses Bowen Byram's Extension and Chicago's Free Agency Signings
7/1/202626 min
Watch the full press conference as Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson meets with the media following the first day of NHL free agency. Davidson discusses Bowen Byram's new contract extension, the additions of Ian Cole and Cole Smith, and the organization's approach to improving the roster this offseason. Hear his thoughts on the Blackhawks' latest moves and what's next for the team heading into the 2026-27 season.
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First 90 secondsKyle Davidson· Guest0:00
Yeah, I'll start by, uh, saying we're really excited about the new signings in, uh, Ian Cole and Cole Smith. Um, I think they fill out some really, uh, important roles in our lineup and add some veteran presence in, um, i- in, in Ian Cole's case, in Cole, uh, Smith's case [laughs] [laughs] [laughs] Cole Smith. It's been a long day, and then there's too many Coles here. [laughs] Um, you know, I think Ian Cole's case provides some really veteran presence and a, uh, steadying influence on our young, uh, D-core. And then Cole Smith, um, provides some great deal of physicality, some size, some speed, uh, and both play, uh, special teams on the penalty kill. And so I think they're gonna be really useful pieces for, uh, our lineup and for our coaches to utilize. And then obviously, very, very, very excited to get, um, Bowen Byram signed up for a six-year extension, so he'll be here for the next seven years and, um, show that he's an elite, uh, defenseman in this league, that we know he's going to, uh, you know, utilize this opportunity to, to, to display. And so we're, we're really excited about all three guys and their, their future with, uh, with the Blackhawks so...
Speaker 21:15
Are you done for today or for the off-season, or do you have a sense of if there's anything more coming?
Kyle Davidson· Guest1:20
Um, I think we've got some, maybe some two-way, uh, things that we're, we're still working on. Um, I don't think you're ever done for the off-season. The season's