Blackhawks: Looking at the previous 11th overall draft picks from the team

With the 2021 NHL Draft just weeks away, the Chicago Blackhawks will look to add to their pool of prospects with the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft. However, before we look ahead to who the Hawks might pick in this year’s draft, let`s take a look at the previous three picks that the Hawks made with the 11th overall pick.

Dave Manson – 1985

Manson was the first player to be drafted by the team in the 1985 NHL Draft with the 11th overall pick and would go on to spend the next five seasons with Chicago before getting traded to the Edmonton Oilers.

During his time with the Hawks, he played a total of 431 games, scoring 45 goals, recording 110 assists, and finishing with 155 points. Manson reunited with the team returning for the 1998-99 season and then getting traded again to the Dallas Stars.

Although Manson`s numbers in the NHL are not most flashy as we see in today’s game, the game in the 80s and ’90s was much more physical and Manson was known for being the primary enforcer on the Blackhawks and got into a ton of fights on the ice.

Pavel Vorobiev – 2000

The next 11th overall pick the Blackhawks selected came in 2000 where they selected Vorobiev, a six-foot right-winger from Karaganda, Kazakhstan. For the Blackhawks looking back on this pick, a bust is an understatement as Vorobiev only appeared in 57 games in the NHL before heading overseas.

Vorobiev`s time with the Blackhawks came to end after playing only two seasons with the team, scoring 10 goals, recording 15 assists, for a total of 25 points.

The 39-year-old is currently playing for the Dnepr Kherson of the Ukrainian Hockey League where he finished this past season with eight goals, 17 assists, for a total of 25 points in 30 games.

Kyle Beach – 2008

Eight years later the Blackhawks were gifted with another 11th overall pick, however this time around they swung and missed again with Beach.

Beach did not make an appearance with the Blackhawks, let alone the NHL as he spent the majority of his career playing in AHL with the Rockford IceHogs. Beach currently plays for the EHC Erfurt Black Dragons in Germany.

Although Beach`s career did not pan out the way he wanted it to, he has shown a resurgence in his game this past season scoring 31 goals, recording 29 assists, for a total of 60 points in 36 games.

With that said, looking back at the history of the 11th overall pick the Blackhawks have not had the best luck in the players that they have drafted. However, looking ahead to the 2021 NHL Draft it will be hard for the Blackhawks to repeat history and draft a player that will not pan out as they plan to, as this year`s draft is filled with promising young prospects for Chicago to choose from.

A possible prospect that the Hawks can draft is Chaz Lucius who is a 6 foot 1 forward and is a shoot-first forward, making him a perfect fit on this young Blackhawks team alongside Kirby Dach. The Blackhawks may also add to their goalie depth chart by drafting Jesper Wallstedt from Sweden or Sebastian Cossa who last played for in WHL.

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My prediction is that the Blackhawks will need to pick up a defenseman in this draft and if they get lucky that would be Brandt Clarkes, especially with the talks about Duncan Keith leaving the Blackhawks.