Today we focus on defensemen in the current blog series presenting considerations for the Blackhawks in the upcoming NHL Draft. Friday’s blog will conclude the series by spotlighting goalie draft prospects.
Again, there are so many other great sites out there that are ramping up for the draft with full profiles of prospects who the Blackhawks should consider for the 17th pick. I encourage you to visit these sites to get comprehensive coverage of the draft.
These blogs on HockeyBuzz will instead provide a different lens by suggesting what blueprint the Blackhawks should follow when thinking of who the best player available may be in the 1st round and who are ones to keep an eye on in the other rounds.
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WHO'S UP FOR GRABS
There is a consensus that two defensemen in particular will be drafted before the Blackhawks select at 17th. These two youngsters are Jamie Drysdale and Jake Sanderson, both of whom could very well go in the top 10 as projected.
Drysdale is a shoo-in to be drafted in the first third of the 1st round and many draft boards have him in the top 5. Sanderson has a chance to be taken in the 8-10 range but could drop slightly to the early middle third.
Then there are D prospects who are likely selected after 17th whether late in the 1st round or in the 2nd round. These prospects include Emil Andrae, Alex Cotton, Daemon Hunt, Tyler Kleven, Yan Kuznetsov, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Topi Niemela, Jeremie Poirier, and William Villeneuve.
So that leaves these prospects who may be available at 17th: Justin Barron, Helge Grans, Kaiden Guhle, Ryan O’Rourke, Braden Schneider, and William Wallinder.
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BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE
In an
NBC Sports Chicago interview by Charlie Roumeliotis with Blackhawks Vice President of Amateur Scouting Mark Kelley, it was affirmed that the Hawks drafting strategy is to select the best player available.
When seeking the best player available, what are the ideal attributes for a defenseman? Here are a few traits -- many of which are identical to the
ideal attributes for a forward outlined in the previous blog -- that I would recommend the Hawks stress as high priorities:
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Compete Level: Does the prospect hustle on every play, contest every puck, and play to the whistle?
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Hockey Sense: Does the prospect have an innate ability to make intelligent plays in any situation?
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Defensive Awareness: Does the prospect have a defensive conscience to not only neutralize the other team but also take care of their own end first and support their teammates?
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Defensive Toolkit: Does the prospect know how to defend in different ways like having an active stick, managing gaps, sealing off lanes, playing the body, and distracting the opponent with simple nudges?
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Transition Game: Does the prospect know when to not only make a crisp pass out of the zone or skate it out expeditiously himself but also relieve forechecking pressure by moving the puck over to a ready teammate?
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Skating Ability: Does the prospect have either speed and agility or the smarts to be positionally sound if lacking one or both of these skating qualities?
In addition to these traits, another characteristic to consider is the wherewithal to address any major flaws in their game. Addressing these shortcoming can be through:
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Coachability: Does the prospect take well to feedback and integrate what they learn?
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Resourcefulness: Does the prospect have the ability to compensate for weaknesses through other means (see Skating Ability above for an example)?
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Positional Versatility: Does the prospect have the competence to play both sides if needed to help the coaching staff form effective and complementary D pairs?
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BEST FIT: 1ST ROUND
When considering the above traits for best player available, who would be the exemplary D prospect for the Hawks to pick in the 1st round?
My top choice would be Braden Schneider with Kaiden Guhle as a close second. Both play a physical style owning a mean streak and willingness to dish out hits while also being solid skaters who can transition the puck. They are each defensively wired yet reliable to also join the attack and help generate offense.
I have seen Brent Seabrook as a comparable for Schneider and can’t say that I disagree with that analysis. As for Guhle, Jacob Trouba is a comparable that I often see for him. Jake Muzzin also comes to mind as a comparable for both of them, too.
Remember, when the term
comparable is used, it typically refers to playing style and similar traits, not necessarily having the same statistical output and game impact. If the latter comes to fruition, though, then that’s icing on the cake.
Schneider or Guhle would give Chicago an all-around defender who can at least be top 4 as the floor with a ceiling of being the Seabrook to Adam Boqvist’s Keith. Both Schneider and Guhle can munch minutes, play both ends solidly, and amplify the physicality quotient that is much needed on the backend.
Like Hendrix Lapierre -- who is my alternate after Dawson Mercer being my first choice if drafting a forward at 17th -- Justin Barron is a runner up with hesitance due to his blood clot issue that sidelined him last season and now a recent medical procedure that put him back on the shelf.
Putting aside his health conditions and assuming he can ultimately overcome them, Barron is another D draft prospect with top 4 potential who can play big minutes. He makes smart, fundamental plays at both ends. While he’s positionally sound and reliable defensively -- especially one-on-one -- he doesn’t bring a heavy style like Schneider and Guhle.
Many draft boards have Helge Grans, Ryan O’Rourke, and William Wallinder going in the 1st round but I personally wouldn’t gamble on them at the 17th spot. If the Hawks somehow gain another draft pick in the 20s or early 2nd round, then I would consider one of them later instead -- assuming Schneider, Guhle, or Barron is no longer available, of course.
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BEST FIT: LATER ROUNDS
For the later rounds, my preference would be to continue drafting players who fit the profile of traits described above.
In the 2nd round -- and possibly the 3rd if they drop lower -- Tyler Kleven and Daemon Hunt stand out in particular.
Kleven plays a physical game as a prototypical stay-at-home defenseman. He’s simple and quick with getting the puck out of the zone. Even though he’s not one to wheel and deal, he can be counted on to lock it down defensively.
Hunt is a sharp all-around defender who will play the body but not as punishing as Schneider, Guhle, and Kleven. Despite average skating, Hunt makes up for it with solid positioning.
Topi Niemela and Emil Andrae may be considered given they are skilled puck movers. However, that type of defenseman is not an organizational need at the moment as the D pipeline is headlined by Boqvist and bolstered by a cohort of mail carriers including Nicolas Beaudin, Ian Mitchell, Chad Krys, Alec Regula, and Wyatt Kalynuk.
Two blueliners who I would recommend keeping tabs on in the 3rd round or later are William Villeneuve and Ethan Edwards.
Villeneuve could actually be a sleeper with his cerebral and steady two-way game. He is bright with and without the puck on his blade. In transition, he makes accurate outlet passes. His skating is a bit awkward but doesn’t seem to hamper his capacity to clear the zone with his feet.
Edwards is an excellent skater with an impeccable compete level. He plays a balanced game that is reminiscent of Mitchell. Edwards plays for the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. You know who is a byproduct of Spruce Grove’s program? None other than Ian Mitchell.
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DO NOT CALL LIST
The trio of blueline prospects I would avoid are Jeremie Poirier, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Lukas Cormier. Quite simply, their defense needs a lot of work which to me isn’t worth the risk.
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READERS Q&A MAILBAG
Calling all readers! If you have any questions you want to ask about the draft and/or free agency, please send me a private message or email me at
[email protected].
Thank you to those who have reached out already! All questions will be answered and featured in a mailbag blog due out on October 5 which is the day before the 1st round of the draft.
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See you on the boards!
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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