NHL mock drafts hint at Blackhawks’ game-changing third-overall pick

Anyone got a clue of who the Chicago Blackhawks will snag with the third-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft? Well, two notable outlets may clue us in on who could end up wearing a red sweater come draft day, and hopefully provide another solid puzzle piece to this seemingly perpetually rebuilding team. 

This is assuming, of course, the Hawks stay in the No. 3 spot, as they should. While Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa look like the surefire No. 1 and No. 2 picks, it doesn’t mean there’s not plenty of potentially NHL-ready talent behind them. Or, talent that will become NHL-ready sooner rather than later. 

Let’s explore three players who the Hawks can take based on three mock drafts - one of the outlets I selected had two mocks going on - and which player would be the best of the trio. 

Tankathon - Porter Martone, RW

Porter Martone may be my favorite prospect in this draft class. So, if Tankathon’s mock is spot on, then I’ll be one to say the Blackhawks landed a future star. Martone’s size, 6’3, 207 lbs is already built for the big leagues, and he has a relatively early birthday, meaning his body is more mature than some of the younger players in this draft class. 

And his productivity is among the best of those in 2025, with 98 points and 37 goals in 57 games. There’s no way I’d personally take anyone else over Martone should he (most likely) be available at No. 3. 

NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman - Jake O’Brien, C

Shifting gears to Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale, we got two distinct picks, starting with Jake O’Brien from Kimelman. O’Brien, much like Martone, displays playmaker potential, evidenced with his 66 assists, which equated to one assist per game. 

He finished the year with 98 points, giving him 32 on the season, and an NHL equivalent, per Tankathon, of 39 points. Considering how bad the Blackhawks have been, that’s not a bad number. Also like Martone, O’Brien has the length to compete already, even if he’s lacking in overall size, weighing just 170 lbs. 

NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale - James Hagens, C 

Hagens wouldn’t be a bad choice, but he’d be my last pick on this list of three players. At 5’11, 176 lbs, his size isn’t bad, but productivity is where I’m concerned. I can’t see him factoring in as another Macklin Celebrini, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he saw no NHL action in 2025-26, or at least until the end of the year. 

For this one, it’s all about how long the Blackhawks are willing to wait. Are they okay to go another year without seeing immediate returns on another high pick, much as they were with Artyom Levshunov? 

If the answer is yes, I’d feel better about Hagens. But if the Hawks want a more immediate return, Martone and O’Brien may be the better picks. This is assuming, of course, they don’t reassign them to juniors.