Recapping Chicago Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson's media availability ahead of the NHL Draft

Now that the Stanley Cup Finals have concluded, NHL teams have made their way to Las Vegas for the 2024 NHL Draft. With there being tons of speculation about which direction each team goes in the offseason, the General Manager's media availability gives fans lots to think about as the summer continues.

Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson spoke to media personnel on Thursday.

Many are eagerly awaiting the Blackhawks to reach the podium and announce their second overall pick, whether that be Artyom Levshunov or Ivan Demidov. However, Davidson addressed more than just the draft during his interview and gave some insight as to what to expect from the team going into free agency on July 1st.

Davidson said at this past season's exit interviews that there would be moves made to help make the team more competitive in the standings. He made his first addition to the roster on Wednesday, June 26th, in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks.

The acquisition of Ilya Mikheyev and the returning Sam Lafferty gives the Blackhawks more stability in their bottom six with established NHL players. Mikheyev is looking to prove himself in Chicago after being inconsistent offensively in Vancouver. He brings fantastic speed and the ability to generate chances as he looks to replicate his 21 goal season with Toronto in 2021-22.

Sam Lafferty was once Kyle Davidson's first trade as General Manager back in 2022 and is now back in Chicago after doing quite well for himself last season in Vancouver. He tallied a career-high 13 goals and 24 points for the Canucks as a valuable depth player.

Lafferty will inject more energy into the bottom six and on the penalty kill. His tenacity is what drew attention from teams around the league at the 2023 Trade Deadline, where the Blackhawks traded Lafferty to Toronto alongside Jake McCabe.

There could be more moves ahead for the Blackhawks as the draft and free agency are now here, and Davidson spoke more about both during his media availability.

The Draft

When Kyle Davidson spoke to media personnel in Vegas, he said that the team has now decided on who they will be picking second overall.

Reports from Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects suggest that the Blackhawks are "locked in" on taking Levshunov with the second pick in the draft instead of the Russian winger Ivan Demidov.

This pick was always going to be a win-win scenario, and the Blackhawks might be prioritizing being able to solidify their blueline for the future with their top pick. If these reports are true, there will likely be controversy from fans who were leaning toward Demidov, who many believe could have been the next star forward to pair with Connor Bedard for years to come.

However, this is all speculation until the Blackhawks make their pick official on June 28th. However, Davidson did talk more about the possibilities with their 18th overall selection.

Davidson spoke about the team possibly moving up from their 18th pick, this came after the San Jose Sharks traded their 14th and 42nd picks to the Buffalo Sabers in exchange for the 11th overall selection. The Blackhawks have already moved up from originally having the 20th pick, but many wondered if they would try and get closer to the top twelve.

It sounds like the Blackhawks will wait to see how the draft board plays out and will go from there. Last year, Davidson tried to trade up for Oliver Moore who ended up falling into the Blackhawks' lap anyway. There will likely be some forwards who fall on draft night which could give the Blackhawks a chance to trade up and draft a high-quality player.

In recent drafts, the Blackhawks have been very active when looking to move up in the first round. If there is a player they really like who begins to fall, it would not be a surprise if Davidson is on the phone trying to make a deal to land the player he wants.