Blackhawks drafted some toughness to help Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar someday

The Chicago Blackhawks went old school with their draft class by valuing size and toughness to provide protection to all the skill and speed they have drafted in the past.

That does not mean some of the bigger bodies the team drafted are unable to handle the puck. It is not like the front office drafted a bunch of Jonathan Scotts.

Top pick Anton Frondell is tremendously talented with a lethal shot. Third-round pick Nathan Behm has a great shot and moves on the ice well. Mason West also has a high ceiling with outstanding athleticism as a two-sport star.

The team did size

The franchise was lacking grit in its forward unit with all the smaller, skilled players they loaded up on in past drafts. While it is great to have Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore with Nick Lardis on the way, they needed some bigger bodies to skate with to win puck battles along the boards, screen opposing netminders, and let defenders know Bedard is not to be messed with.

Improving the forecheck to make sure Bedard and Nazar can possess the puck more in the offensive zone was also required.

Blackhawks scouting director Mike Doneghey admitted this was the draft the team wanted to address their size issue.

Bigger forwards were the strength of the draft, so it made sense to load up. The Hawks at least tried to find tougher players who can be than just enforcers.

Although sixth-round pick, defenseman Ashton Cumby, is willing to drop the gloves. Parker Holmes is also willing to throw hands, too. He has been playing with the scoring-dynamo in Lardis in the OHL, so it cannot hurt to add a player well-versed in having a skilled scorer's back.

Plus, the Blackhawks needed to add some younger, more physical players because Nick Foligno can only throw down on Bedard's behalf for so long.

At the same time, most of the players the team drafted also feature an offensive potential beyond plop in front of the net and bury in rebounds. Although the Hawks need more of those guys. However, adding the bigger-sized players that are hard to push out of the opposing netminder's vision is a way to at least establish a floor for some of these players to reach the NHL.

It feels like this draft is a sign the team wants a roster someday that consists of players who can skate well, with good skill, while being backed up with physical players who can do more than just be goons. Sort of like what the Florida Panthers have, and it has yielded that franchise two straight Stanley Cups.

Have that roster someday, though, must be emphasized, as a lot of the players drafted last night and today are going to need some time to develop in the juniors or at the NCAA level. Then they will also need some time skating for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL.

Frondell is likely the only player drafted with a possible shot of skating with the NHL club next season.

Therefore, Bedard and Nazar will have to rely on aging veterans to provide them that sorely needed toughness, but young, and potentially better reinforcements are on the way.