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Examining the Chicago Blackhawks' chances of drafting a franchise player based on the recent No. 2 Overall Picks

The top of the NHL draft is often loaded with franchise changing players, and this year is no exception. In this article I will be examining the past five 2nd overall selections to predict what caliber of player the Blackhawks will draft.

By Kyle Bokota |
2015 NHL Draft - Round One, Pick Two
2015 NHL Draft - Round One, Pick Two / Bruce Bennett/GettyImages
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The draft lottery balls have spoken... Ok bounced. Either way, the Chicago Blackhawks now know that they will be drafting 2nd overall in the 2024 draft. While many Blackhawks fans have reacted to missing out on getting the 1st overall selection with dismay, I am here to ease your troubled minds.

It would have been wonderful to have landed the top selection, and I am sure that Macklin Celebrini will be a wonderful player. However, recent 2nd overall selections in the NHL draft have generally been elite level players, and some even became franchise altering talents. In this article I will examine the past five 2nd overall picks in detail to predict the caliber of player that the Blackhawks can expect to draft.

2023: Leo Carlsson (55 games played, 12 goals and 17 assists, 29 points)

The most recent 2nd overall pick came in with tremendous hype and some notable pressure. You see, Carlsson was long projected before the 2023 draft to go 3rd overall, and was ranked as the 3rd best prospect after Connor Bedard and Adam Fantili. So how did Carlsson fare in his first season as a pro?

He was very impressive. Connor Bedard's incredible season may have moved the goal posts slightly on what a fantastic rookie season looks like. Being over half a point per game as a rookie, (on a terrible Anaheim team no less) is really exceptional. Carlsson has all the elite tools needed to catapult him into the discussion as one of the best players in hockey a few years from now. This was a home run of a pick, albeit with limited returns thus far.

2022: Simon Nemec (60 games played, 3 goals and 16 assists, 19 points)

I admittedly didn't catch many games that Nemec played this season but based on his statistics and the conversation around him, it is clear that New Jersey has faith that he will be a stalwart defenseman for them for years to come. Particularly impressive in my opinion is the fact that Nemec was only a -7 in plus/minus on the season, meaning that he largely held his own in his time on Ice. He should continue to develop into an excellent NHL defenceman.

2021: Matty Beniers (167 games played, 42 goals, 61 assists, 103 points)

Beniers is the undisputed star and franchise player of the Seattle Kraken. However, I think Beniers is a great example of the fact that elite NHL player's trajectories are not always linear. This is a lesson we should keep in mind when evaluating our own prospects.... *cough cough* Lukas Reichel...

Beniers sophomore season saw him post 57 points in 80 games played. However, this past season he regressed slightly as the team around him regressed. He posted 37 points in 77 games played. Still, despite this bump in the road Beniers talent away from the puck, and his tremendous defensive prowess, indicate that he will be a franchise player for Seattle.

2020: Quinton Byfield (179 games played, 28 goals, 60 assists, 88 points)

Byfield finally enjoyed a true breakout season in 2023-2024 when he posted 55 points in 80 games while being a +19 on the year. He now looks ready to be the elite two way forward that he was drafted to be back in 2020. Again, Byfield's story is one that reminds us to be patient with prospects, to allow them the time to fully realize their potential. I could see a scenario in which Byfield is looked at as one of the best players in the NHL in just a few more seasons.

But you don't have to take my word for it, listen to the praise he received from former LA Kings head coach, Todd McLellan.

It is an excellent sign when a hard nosed (and hard to please) head coach praises a young player in such a fashion. Byfield is yet another 2nd overall pick that is turning into an elite player for the team that drafted him before our very eyes. So far, so good.

2019: Kappo Kakko (300 games played, 57 goals, 60 assists, 117 points)

Now we get to the one sour spot in the recent history of 2nd overall draft selections. Kakko was initially billed as a big power forward who used his size and skill to create offensive opportunities for himself and his linemates. The problem is that it simply hasn't translated to consistent success in the NHL yet. I think that there is still a good player there, but time is ticking on Kakko to ever turn into anything more than a good depth forward.

While he is clearly an NHL-caliber player, he isn't the type of player you would hope to have drafted at second overall.

While we can clearly see that the past five 2nd overall picks have largely been success stories, the picture gets even better the further you look back in recent NHL history. Blackhawks fans, can I interest you in any of the following players?

Andrei Svechnikov, Patrik Laine, Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Aleksander Barkov, Gabriel Landeskog, Tyler Seguin, Victor Hedman, Drew Doughty, James Van Riemsdyk, and Evgeni Malkin....

Yeah... we shouldn't worry about who the Blackhawks will draft between Demidov and Levshunov, or even Cayden Lindstrom. History is very much on our side here.

And remember, we already have our Franchise player in Connor Bedard, so adding a player of Malkin, or Doughty or even Eichel's quality to our team is a frightening thought for the rest of the league. My advice is to enjoy your summer and not to stress out about who Kyle Davidson will draft. The Blackhawks will more than likely draft a franchise altering player this summer, and our already bright future will grow even more radiant.

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