Happy draft day to all! Today is officially the day we have all been waiting for since the Hawks won the draft lottery 51 days ago. Baring the biggest blunder in NHL draft history, Connor Bedard will be a Blackhawk in less than 12 hours. This is a huge moment for this franchise, and I don’t think there is much more to say about how big this truly is that hasn’t already been said a million times already. Not only is this a big moment for the Hawks, but the league must also be beyond excited for this outcome. To say this league has a problem marketing their players is a gross understatement, but now they have the chance to change all of that with Bedard. A generational talent who should be the face of this league for years to come lands on an original six team and in a major market. If they fumble this, there needs to be some major changes in the NHL PR department.
The Hawks are going to add at least one more player during today’s first round with pick number 19. In this deep draft with a lot of good prospects, there are so many good options that should still be on the board when this pick comes up. Looking into mock drafts from insiders across the league, it is clear that anything can happen between picks 2–19, so it was hard to land on who I feel the Hawks will pick, but I did see two names that, if they were still available, I would jump on in a heartbeat.
Andrew Cristall My first choice would be the 5-foot-10 left winger from the Kelowna Rockets. Ranked everywhere from 6th to 18th, this is a player who, like many others in any other draft class that didn’t have Bedard, could make a case for a top pick. In 54 games this past season, he put up 95 points (39–56) and another 6 points (2-4) at the World Juniors. Cristall is viewed as one of the top playmakers in this draft class and has a hockey IQ that is off the charts. He is extremely strong with the puck and can control it well. With very deceptive and shifty moves, he’s able to make defenders look silly. One of the better passers in this draft, scouts have called him a powerplay cheat code. To put the cherry on top of this pick, he is one of Bedard’s closest friends, so it’s hard not to get excited about what this duo could do if given the chance to play together. Will he still be there at 19? I think it will be a close call; I think Nashville, Calgary, or Winnipeg could pull the trigger on him.
Gabe Perreault Son of one of the best faceoff men in NHL history (and a former Hawk), Gabe is 5-foot-11 with a left-handed shot but plays on the right wing. Scouts talk about how highly skilled of a forward he is and that he has a great offensive mind with a lot of tools under his belt. He has a good hockey IQ that makes him a dangerous passer, but he also has a very good shot, so he is going to keep the other team guessing what he is going to do next. While he is a strong player on the offensive side of the puck, his 200-foot game will need some work. He isn’t going to be winning any Selke Trophys anytime soon, but with his commitment to Boston College, when it comes time to play pro hockey, this will be something that gets fixed fast, especially if he wants to have a long career. Gabe seems to be one of those players that will be there at 19 but could still be on the board at 35, so Davidson really likes him. He could take the chance and take the best available player at 19 and hope he's still there in round 2.
I know for a fact that you all are going to call me an idiot for not looking at this player or that player for pick 19, and hey, that’s fair. As mentioned earlier, this is such a deep class that it was so hard to even predict who could be there when the pick comes up. I really like Cristall and hope that is an option, but I think no matter who KD takes, it's going to be a good pick and build on the already impressive prospect pool he has built since taking over as GM. Get ready, everyone; the good times are coming!
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