Blackhawks don’t really need 1st-round pick in 2026 NHL Draft

The Chicago Blackhawks are on track for another high draft pick this season. According to Tankathon, the Hawks have the inside track on the second-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

That’s not a bad consolation prize for what’s become a disappointing season. The Blackhawks looked poised to turn a corner this season. In the end, however, the Blackhawks settled back into the same position they’ve been in for the last decade or so.

But this year, things are different. The team is in a position where the fruits of previous drafts are beginning to emerge. The late-season addition of Anton Frondell, for instance, has shown what the future holds for the organization.

And that future is bright. The plethora of rising stars in the Blackhawks’ system is quickly becoming an embarrassment of riches. Several high-end prospects have already made it to the NHL, with more on the way.

That’s why the Blackhawks don’t really NEED their first-round pick. As such, the Blackhawks could afford to trade the pick. Considering the prospects available in this year’s draft, the second-overall pick could be extremely valuable.

Because of the pick’s potential value, the Blackhawks could potentially trade down in the first round and make a killing in the process. A team looking to trade up could make the Blackhawks an offer worth considering.

Teams like the New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, or Seattle Kraken might be willing to pay up to get their hands on that pick.

Even a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins, that’s got draft picks to spare and a couple of interesting pieces, could make a push for the pick. Drafting one of Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg could give the organization an heir apparent to the ageless Sidney Crosby.

But that’s just one of the possibilities the Blackhawks could look into at the 2026 NHL Draft.

Blackhawks could just keep their pick

Then again, with how valuable the second-overall pick could be this year, the Blackhawks might as well just hold onto it. The chance to draft McKenna or Stenberg could be too much to pass up.

McKenna is considered one of the best forward prospects to arrive in years. The same goes for Stenberg. Plus, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff has been regarded as one of the best top-pairing blueliners in recent years.

With those possibilities in the top three, wouldn’t it behoove the Blackhawks to keep their pick? The organization could just use the pick and then try to sort out all of the promising prospects in their pipeline.

The worst thing that could happen is that the Blackhawks may have to trade a couple of prospects to clear up roster spots and bring in complementary veteran pieces.

It’s a possibility that fans could find as part of a tantalizing future in Chicago.