“We’re not going to be cramming the night before to get more information. It’s going to be a pretty easy decision, I think,” says General Manager Stan Bowman.
With a little over 24 hours until the NHL Draft, there remains no clear-cut favorite as to who the Chicago Blackhawks will select with the 3rd overall pick. Four or five prospects are still in contention and fit the Blackhawks current needs. While Blackhawks’ fans are left to speculate, it appears Stan Bowman and the front office have made a decision.
Stan Bowman has appeared calm and collected throughout the draft process. That’s a positive sign considering this is the team’s first top-three selection in 12 years. Bowman sounds confident that the Blackhawks are going to come away with a future star player.
“Now, it just comes down to which one we feel is the right fit for us. It’s been a fun process. I’ve enjoyed it. The good news for all the fans is we’re going to get a really, really good player this year”.
Whether that player is Bowen Byram, Alex Turcotte, or another top prospect is still a mystery. Dylan Cozens and Trevor Zegras are two others that certainly are in the mix as well. No matter who the Blackhawks select with the 3rd pick, they are going to come away with a potential franchise-altering player.
Should The Blackhawks Trade Down?
With multiple prospects in contention for the 3rd pick, there has been talk that the Blackhawks should attempt to trade down a few spots. There likely is a team wanting to trade up for the draft’s best defenseman, Bowen Byram. Parting ways with the 3rd overall pick sounds ludicrous, but it isn’t a terrible idea.
Imagine the Blackhawks moving down a few spots, adding assets via trade, AND still coming away with a top prospect. If the Blackhawks have their eyes on Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield, or Kirby Dach, they very well could draft one of those players later on.
While this approach may sound attractive to some fans, Bowman basically put the idea to rest. For now, it seems like the Blackhawks are going to hold onto the 3rd overall pick. It will be interesting to see who they deem as the third-best player in the draft. Will it be top defenseman Bowen Byram? Hometown kid Alex Turcotte? Or do the Blackhawks go in another direction?
We’ll just have to wait ONE MORE DAY to find out.
For more Blackhawks news and updates, follow the author (@JackBushman2) on Twitter. Make sure to check out the author’s podcast, Talkin’ Hawkey, which can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Twitter (@TalkHawkey).
