After making 22 picks in the last two drafts, the Blackhawks have sprinted up prospect rankings around the hockey media world. That’s what happens when you: a) are rebuilding, and b) stockpile picks as part of that process.
I mentioned this briefly when considering the start of rolling outꦆ their new organizational rankings of under-22 player groups, but the bottom of their list is filled with teams that not only have limited quality and quantity in their younger ranks, b♎ut also have limited options to add in the coming draft.
My comments about the bottom seven teams on The Athletic‘s rankings — which only included the Avs from the Central Division — made me think about how the teams around the Blackhawks in their own division are at different stages of their “compete window,” and how they’ve used their draft capital to supplement their rosters and further open/extend said window.
The Blackhawks have done a nice job of staggering the picks they have acquired in coming years. In the coming three years, Chi🌸cago will make 13 picks in the first or second rounds of the NHL draft. General manager Kyle Davidson has currently owns multiple picks in the first round of the next two drafts, and has three picks in the second round of the 2024 and 2026 drafts. So there will be more talent coming to an already vastly improved pipeline.
There are other teams in the division who are hoarding picks for next summer, however. The Coyotes boast 13 selections in the 2024 NHL Draft right now, the most in the division. At the bottom of the list — and top of the division — we have the Avs and Stars, neither of whom will have a lot to do at the draft next June.
The good news: Chicago is the only team in the division with multiple first-round picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. After making five first-round picks in the last two years, the Hawks will have multiple opportunities to add more quality depth to the system. And, unlike 2023, they’re the only team in the Central doing so (at this point).
Here are the picks the other teams in the Central Division own in the 2024 NHL Draft, starting at the bo♈ttom of the division.
Chicago Blackhawks (9)
1: own, Tampa
2: own, Vancouver, Los Angeles
3: own, Ottawa
4: none
5: Calgary
6: own
7: none
Arizona Coyotes (13)
1: own
2: own, Florida, Washington
3: own, Colorado, Edmonton
4: own, San Jose
5: own
6: own
7: own, Boston
St. Louis Blues (8)
1: own
2: own, Toronto
3: own, NY Rangers
4: own
5: own
6: none
7: own
Nashville Predators (10)
1: own
2: own, Tampa, Winnipeg
3: own, Dallas
4: own, Chicago, Edmonton
5: own
6: Dallas
7: none
Winnipeg Jets (7)
1: own
2: Montreal
3: own
4: own
5: own
6: own
7: own
Minnesota Wild (7)
1: own
2: own
3: none
4: own
5: own, Buffalo
6: own
7: none
Dallas Stars (4)
1: own
2: own
3: none
4: none
5: own
6: none
7: own
Colorado Avalanche (4)
1: own
2: none
3: none
4: own
5: none
6: own
7: own
