Bowen Byram checks all the boxes for an elite prospect; good size - check, elite skating - check, cannon for a shot - check, hockey bloodlines - check, great youth production - check. Drafted at number four in the 2019 entry draft, Byram was widely considered the top defensive prospect that year for all of the reasons listed, plus the one unlisted trait that had Byram higher atop my rankings than any other Mile High Hockey writer. Bowen Byram is a little nasty.
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When the Colorado Avalanche selected Byram after a season where the defender notched over a point per game for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, he was widely regarded for his tremendous skating ability, offensive IQ, and skill with the puck - all of which were considered elite for a defender of his age.