What to know about the Chicago Blackhawks NHL Draft

Hopefully, this is the last draft the Chicago Blackhawks are picking so high in the first round because of a poor record. Although it would be fine if the Blackhawks beat the odds and win the rights to the No. 1 overall pick, like the New York Islanders did this year, in future drafts.

Otherwise, if the Blackhawks continue to pick in the top five without the help of luck, then it means the rebuild is going terribly.

That is why it is important that the Blackhawks come away with an impact player with the third overall pick. The hope is that the player the team chooses eventually helps the Hawks move up in the standings.

However, getting an immediate impact player is rare in the NHL Draft, considering these prospects are teenagers. Many of the kids taken tonight and tomorrow likely will spend a few more seasons at the NCAA or junior level. Some will stay in Russia or other European clubs, too.

Still, picking this high gives the Blackhawks a chance to add another elite-level talent like the franchise has done in the past two drafts by getting Connor Bedard No. 1 overall in 2023 and Artyom Levshunov last year.

If the Blackhawks' losing has caused you to tune out the team with the occasional check-in, here is what you need to know about the team heading into a critical draft.

How many draft picks do the Blackhawks have?

The Hawks have 10 draft choices. They have five choices in the top 75, with picks three and 25 (acquired in a 2023 deal with Toronto) in the first round, spots 34 and 62 (acquired in a 2023 trade with Dallas) in the second round, and then pick No. 66.

The Hawks also have two fourth-round picks (their own at No. 98 and pick 107 from the Rangers, which came in another trade made in 2023).

They also own pick 162 in the sixth round and then will make two more picks in the seventh (No. 194 and 197, a pick aquired from Boston).

Is this draft like the NFL or NBA Draft, where you can get immediate help?

It is rare to get a player like Connor Bedard, who makes the jump from the juniors to the NHL. There are only four players taken in the 2023 first round who have skated in more than 100 NHL games.

Only five players selected in the entire draft last season have played in an NHL game. These are usually teenagers being taken, who need time at the juniors, NCAA, or other European club levels before even possibly coming in to help.

Plus, the AHL has a minimum age requirement which keeps an NHL franchise from stashing a player on their minor league team.

What are the Blackhawks' needs in this draft?

Bigger-sized forwards and defensive depth.

The Hawks have plenty of promising center and wing talent, however a lot of them stand under six feet tall. The Hawks must add size to that group.

The team also has many promising young blueliners ready to break through at the NHL level. However, once guys like Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, Wyatt Kaiser, Louis Crevier, and Nolan Allan officially join Alex Vlasic as graduated prospects, there is not much left.

What would be the ideal draft for the Blackhawks then?

Canadian prospect Michael Misa, the consensus top forward prospect, drops to the Blackhawks at three. He has the ideal combination of size and skill. There are rumors circulating he could fall into the Hawks' lap if the San Jose Sharks draft Swedish forward Anton Frondell.

Then the team uses the rest of the top 100 picks they have to get more talented, bigger forwards, and then use the rest of the draft to add those young blueliners. They got plenty of top-pair defensive talent, so using later picks like they did with Crevier is a good use of later picks, as hopefully the Hawks just need extra defensemen over the next couple of years out of their prospect pool.

Who else might the Blackhawks take with the No. 3 pick?

If San Jose goes with Misa, then the Hawks likely take Frondell. They are also reported to be considering Caleb Desnoyer or Porter Martone. These are also bigger forwards who play in Canada's junior league system.

Where is the NHL Draft?

It will be at L.A. Live's Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The NHL is trying for the first time since the pandemic to have a decentralized draft.

The teams used to gather together in one room, which made the NHL Draft neat because you could see general managers get up and walk over to another team's table to work out a trade.

That will not be the case this year.

What time does it start, and who will be broadcasting it?

The first round starts at 6 p.m. CST with ESPN and the NHL Network broadcsting the draft. Rounds two through seven will take place Saturday starting at 11 a.m. CST with the NHL Network carrying it live. ESPN+ and Fubo will have live streams of all seven rounds.