The Chicago Blackhawks are likely to draft somewhere in the top seven in the 2026 NHL Draft. With only 18 games remaining in the season, Chicago can no longer finish in last place, but there is still a realistic chance they end the year between 27th and 31st in the standings. If that happens, the team could be selecting anywhere from second to sixth overall, depending on how the draft lottery plays out.
The big question for Blackhawks fans is simple: who should Chicago target with that pick?
Since the rebuild began, the Blackhawks have often leaned toward defensemen at the top of the draft. They selected Kevin Korchinski seventh overall in 2022 and Artyom Levshunov second overall in 2024. Some fans are already questioning those selections and believe the team should have gone in another direction — pointing to offensive talents like Ivan Demidov as an example.
But it’s far too early to judge those picks.
Fans sometimes expect immediate results from top prospects, but NHL teams rarely draft players expecting them to dominate at 19 or 20 years old. The real expectation is that players reach their prime around 23 or 24. That is especially true for defensemen, who typically take longer to develop. In most cases, it takes four to five years before you can properly evaluate whether a defenseman was the right pick.
A good example is Owen Power of the Buffalo Sabres. Now 23 years old, Power has taken another step in his game this season and is starting to look like the player Buffalo hoped for when they drafted him first overall. He may not be a dynamic offensive defenseman like Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, but his size, reach, and two-way presence are becoming real strengths as he matures.
That’s the key point: development takes time.
Blackhawks fans should stay patient with both Korchinski and Levshunov. Progress isn’t always straightforward. A prospect’s development path in the NHL is rarely linear — it’s more like a curve, with ups and downs along the way.
You don’t even need to look outside the organization to see that. Players like Louis Crevier have already shown how development can take time before things begin to click.
So with another high pick likely coming this summer, the next big question becomes:
Which player should GM Kyle Davidson target at the 2026 NHL Draft to continue building the future of the Blackhawks?
Evaluating the Blackhawks’ Young Core
When evaluating the young prospects of the Blackhawks this season, one thing becomes clear: the organization still has work to do before becoming a true playoff contender.
After 64 games, the rebuild is moving in the right direction, but the roster still lacks a few important pieces.
The good news starts with Connor Bedard. The young superstar continues to prove he will only get better. He has already become the face of the franchise and could very well be the next captain of the team in the near future.
Another promising player is Frank Nazar. His season has been inconsistent, but that is completely normal for a young player adjusting to the NHL. The speed of the league, the physicality, and the long schedule can be difficult during a first season. Nazar clearly has the talent, but we will likely need another year or two before properly evaluating his full potential.
Depth Prospects Still Developing
The Blackhawks also have several young forwards developing in the system, including Oliver Moore, Landon Slaggert, Ryan Greene, and Nick Lardis.
Greene had a solid first season, but if the Blackhawks want to become a competitive team, he likely projects as a bottom-six forward in the future. The same projection could apply to Moore and Slaggert depending on how their development progresses.
Lardis is the true wildcard of the group. Scoring goals is never easy in hockey, but he has shown natural scoring ability. In my opinion, he has the potential to reach 25 to 30 goals in a season at some point in his career. At this stage, he projects more as a middle-six forward, but his offensive instincts make him a very intriguing prospect.
Defensive Development
On defense, the Blackhawks saw encouraging progress from Louis Crevier and Wyatt Kaiser this season. Both players showed flashes of strong potential, and their continued development will be important next year.
Then there is Levshunov, a player who has faced heavy scrutiny from fans. Many supporters expected him to dominate immediately, especially when comparing him to offensive prospects like Demidov.
But those comparisons are unfair.
Levshunov’s season has looked very similar to Nazar’s: inconsistency. One strong game followed by a difficult one. One great period followed by a quiet stretch. That is simply part of the development process for young players.
Growth in the NHL is rarely linear.
The key is patience. Levshunov likely needs another two years before we truly see the level of player he can become.
What the Blackhawks Still Need
After watching this team for most of the season, two needs stand out clearly.
First, the Blackhawks still need another top-six forward who can create offense consistently alongside Bedard.
Second, they need a true power-play quarterback on defense — a dynamic puck-moving defenseman who can control the pace of the game, move the puck with speed, and create plays from the blue line.
Players like Hughes or Lane Hutson are perfect examples of the type of modern defenseman who can drive offense from the back end.
Possible Targets in the 2026 NHL Draft
When looking ahead to the 2026 NHL Draft, four players immediately stand out as potential targets.
Forwards
• Gavin McKenna
• Ivar Stenberg
Defensemen
• Chase Reid
• Keaton Verhoeff
There are other defensemen available in the draft class, but these four players appear to fit Chicago’s needs the most.
If all four were available when the Blackhawks pick, my ranking would be:
1. McKenna
2. Stenberg
3. Reid
4. Verhoeff
The reason is simple: Chicago still needs another elite top-six forward to support Bedard.
With Anton Frondell expected to join the team next season, adding another dynamic forward like McKenna could give the Blackhawks an exciting offensive core.
A future top six built around Bedard, Nazar, Frondell, and McKenna would give Chicago the offensive talent needed to push the rebuild forward and eventually compete for the playoffs again.
Let the Young Players Play
There are still 18 games remaining in the season for the Blackhawks, meaning there is still plenty of time to evaluate the organization’s young prospects.
One thing I disagree with right now is how little ice time some of the young players are receiving.
At this stage of the rebuild, winning games should not be the priority. Development and evaluation should be the main focus.
The coaching staff needs to see what these players can truly do at the NHL level.
Why not give players like Korchinski more consistent minutes? Even 15 minutes per game could make a difference in his development, just as it has for Lardis and Slaggert.
Finishing a few spots higher in the standings will not suddenly make prospects better players.
The best way to evaluate young talent is simple: let them play.
For the remainder of the season, Chicago should focus on giving opportunities to:
• Lardis
• Slaggert
• Levshunov
• Korchinski
• Sam Rinzel
• Ethan Del Mastro
• Drew Commesso
The final stretch of the season should be about development, experience, and evaluation.
The Florida Panthers Pick Could Also Matter
Another interesting storyline is the conditional first-round pick from the Florida Panthers.
Florida traded that pick when they acquired Seth Jones from Chicago. The selection is top-10 protected in the 2026 NHL Draft, meaning if the Panthers finish in the top ten of the draft order, they would keep the pick.
Right now, Florida sits around 21st in the NHL standings, but injuries could still impact how they finish the season. Teams sometimes rest or shut down veteran players late in the year, which can affect results.
Because of that, the situation with the Panthers’ pick is something worth monitoring closely over the final weeks of the season.
More Prospect Reports Coming Soon
Over the next few weeks, we will continue following the draft race and provide detailed scouting reports on the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Those reports will help give a clearer picture of which players could be the best fit for the Blackhawks’ rebuild as the organization continues building toward becoming a playoff team again.
KEEP READING:
Hawks Search For The Right Fit Beside Bedard
Blackhawks Future Outlook: Phase 2 of the Rebuild Begins
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