Chicago Blackhawks add speed with their three third-round picks in NHL Entry Draft

Speed is a trait the Chicago Blackhawks look for in their draft prospects. They tripled the speed among their prospects by taking three very fast skaters in the third round.

The Blackhawks selected forward John Mustard with the 67th overall pick. That might be the best name for a Chicago player ever considering how every Chicagoland area native believes mustard and not ketchup should go on a hotdog.

Johnny is more than a prospect with a last name full of puns. He can fly on the rink.

The Blackhawks then drafted AJ Spellacy a few picks after adding Mustard to their draft (pun intended). Spellacy was the fastest skater in the OHL.

It is also good to see the Hawks add some size as that seems to be the theme in this year's draft especially since most of the Blackhawks prized prospect forwards are under six feet.

The Blackhawks then later traded back into the third round as they struck another deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hawks completed a deal last night with Carolina to get back into the first round to select Marek Vanacker.

This time the Blackhawks sent a future third-round choice to move into the No. 92 pick and picked Jack Pridham. He is another lightning-quick skater.

In fact, it looks like the Blackhawks selected the three fastest skaters available in the draft.

The Hawks' future looks to be featuring fast skaters and that is a good thing.

Puck possession is critical in the modern NHL. You cannot backcheck what you cannot catch. Being fast on the ice allows the forecheck to be more effective especially if the Hawks need to chip the puck into the offensive zone and try to regain the puck.

Dump and chase is not a style that works anymore but a quick puck flip past the blueline and gaining possession back is a great way to generate offense and you need speed to do that.

Now the key is eventually signing these prospects and getting them into their system.

Pridham is not signing his entry-level contract right away. Instead, he will return to the juniors and then play at Boston University.

It looks like the Hawks have made good decisions on where their draft prospects will continue to develop their hockey careers before they sign their ELC.

For example, the Hawks selected Sasha Boisvert at No. 18 in the first round and he will play at college powerhouse North Dakota next season. Boston University is also an excellent school that develops NHL talent. The No. 1 overall pick, Macklin Celebrini, won the Hobey Baker Award last season.

People forget the NHL is all about projecting what these players will be based on traits a team values. The Hawks value speed, skating, character, hockey intelligence, and competitiveness. Going with speed first seems like a good idea as it can create a team that plays an entertaining and a potentially winning brand of hockey.