Chicago Blackhawks shock the NHL world, move up in the lottery

The Chicago Blackhawks didn’t play well enough to be in the playoffs but they didn’t play bad enough to be lottery favorites, but they had a bit of luck.

The Chicago Blackhawks finished near the bottom of the Central Division but they were in the race for real until the final weeks of the season. They ultimately missed but nobody really believed they had a great chance at the lottery. They only had a two percent chance at the number one overall pick. Their chances at a top-three pick were also slim.

They had the luck on their side on Draft Lottery night though. They moved all the way up from 12 to three in the draft. They won the third lottery and will pick third in the draft behind the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers. There are a lot of things that they can do with this pick, it isn’t as clear cut as picks one and two.

The New Jersey Devils are going to pick American center Jack Hughes with the number one overall pick and the New York Rangers are going to pick Kaapo Kakko second overall. After that, there is positional needs and scouting that will come into place. There are three guys that will likely be taken not too far after two in the draft. Dylan Cozens, Vasili Podkolzin, and Alex Turcotte are the likeliest candidates for that third overall pick.

All three of these guys are capable of coming in and making an impact within a year or two. Whether or not they are NHL ready right away is still to be determined but they will be someday. The Blackhawks scouting department has a lot of work to do. Last time the Blackhawks selected third overall in the NHL Entry Draft, they selected a guy by the name of Jonathan Toews. He turned out okay.

There is also a possibility they trade the pick away. They can package it with something for another NHL ready player that will make a more immediate impact. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a player or two they might be willing to trade or another restricted free agent that won’t return to his team. They won’t trade a pick of this magnitude for no reason so if they did you would know it would be worth it.

If they decide to keep it, it is up to them to use it wisely. There are a lot of options available at three and it is important they take this gift that has been given to them and runs with it. There will be a lot of profiles of the possible selections for the Blackhawks here so make sure to follow along. This season wasn’t easy for Blackhawks fans but their support may have just been rewarded.