The hawks have a lot of picks coming up. Was thinking about whether they’d go F or D for their first round pick this year. Assuming we’ll get pick #2, Stenberg looks good. Malhotra has looked great for a powerhouse Brantford in the OHL this year (along with prospect Marek Vanacker). There are a lot of good prospects the organization has such as Kansterov but a solidified top level forward would help.

Just my two cents interesting to see the fans’ thoughts!

32 comments

  1. Frondell/Bedard/Stenberg would feed families for a generation.

    Hawks don’t need another young D prospect from the first round. Need scoring and players who can keep up with Bedard and Frondell mentally and physically. Stenberg already proved chemistry with Frondell.

  3. McKenna or Stenberg. Need more options for Connor to create on offense, drafting defense would be a blunder

  4. Stenberg, McKenna, Reid, Carels, Verhoeff. Pretty much in that exact order.

    Also, if by some miracle the Hawks get another pick in the 11-15 range, I’d like to see them draft Björk. Yes, even over another Dman (edit: except for Šmits). Sure, he’s another small forward (who is actually small), but there’s a reason he was the second or third best forward for Team Sweden during Juniors: he’s absolutely electric, and pairing him up with one of Frondell or Stenberg could produce great returns.

  5. A lot of years I have a clear cutoff. But I think there are great choices 1 through 6.

    Obviously if possible I think McKenna or Stenberg. But if not available taking the best D on the board is appealing. D e spite the promis on our backend, there is no sure fire number 1 that has stepped forward yet. Though I realized how young they are.

    I would not cry if we took best center in Malhotra either. Our center depth is starting to look like a strength. Why not add another top.six good two way option. Out team D still sucks and watching Frondell and even Boisvert emphasized that er lack players that can play 200 feet and win battles. Although very presently sylurprised by Lardis lately He is making plays at both ends

    Obviously a top six scoring is something we need. But in terms of pipeline, this is the first year where I would say there is no specific position need. Always draft BPA anyhow.

  6. McKenna is too good to turn down, and I really like Stenberg after him.

    I’m not huge on Verhoeff or Carels, so after them I would go Smits or Malhotra. I think Malhotra is the best fit for us offensively, and really underrated in general. Smits is such Davidson pick, and i really love his tape. He reminds me of a Frondell in how strong he is while so young, but seems like an even freakier athlete even if his offensive skills have a bit of a ceiling.

    After that Reid would my next guy before a decent drop off, so I really hope we get one of those 5.

  7. I think the only ones we truly need are McKenna/Stenberg, and if we HAD to draft anyone else at 3-4 I wouldn’t be mad at Smits or Reid, but honestly if we aren’t picking top 2 I think the pick is best served as trade bait, even if it’s just trading down a few spots to get more picks for even more trade bait

    HOWEVER the other names in the first round I do like are Bjork, Malholtra, Hemming, Novotny, and Villeneuve

  9. Just a heads up, this list is not anywhere close to consensus. Lawrence and Malholtra are going top 10, 100%. Should really use the consolidated list on elite prospects lol

    Also, the Rucks will maybe sneak into the first round. They aren’t going lotto.

  10. Mckenna, stenberg and bjork are where my eyeballs land.

    I don’t think it’s a bad thing to keep the d pipe stacked either though. We can make moves outside the draft to supplement the forward group much more easily imo.

  12. I think that if the Blackhawks are drafting for need, then they take a LHD, Smits or Carels. Just not sold on Korchinski or DeMastro. I do think either would be fine as a third line pairing.

    Stenberg would give us an embarrassing amount of offensive riches, and I like him more with Frondell, a Swedish connection that could make this transition easier for both of them. I think I’d take Stenberg if we have the chance, but LHD if he’s gone. Discounting McKenna, he’ll be off the board.

  13. If we’re 1 or 2 and don’t grab McKenna or Stenberg, then Davidson should be fired. Look at our offense. We struggle to score more than 3 goals a game. The time is now so start thinking about how you’re going to support Bedard instead of waiting 2-3 years for a defensive prospect to make the team.

  14. Obviously scoring is obviously always appealing, but I think we’re starting to run low on higher end D prospects. Looking ahead to next year, we have:

    Vlasic -Lev

    Kaiser – Rinzel

    Korch – Crev

    EDM.

    After these 7, not much. All super young and have had questions about their game and being a true top pairing D. I think the time for stopgap older Dmen like Martinez/Grzelcyk are done. Either plant your flag or get replaced, and we want that higher draft pick to be that next guy up. We already have a good handful of guys to do that for the forwards.

  15. I’d be stoked about McKenna or Stenberg top 5, then I want Belchetz or Dagenais… Novotny would be fine as well. I want some power up front with that pick.

  16. If the Hawks land Gavin McKenna, does that essentially guarantee that one or both of Lardis and/or Kantserov are traded?
    Can this team rise up and thrive with 3 small guys like that in top 9 roles?

  19. Mckenna or Stenberg would pretty much cap off this rebuild. Might be in the minority here, but I would like to see them trade into the top 2 if they get bumped down in the lottery. They have so many picks/prospects at this point, but they *really* need another high end forward

  20. If not McKenna or Stenberg, ie: outside top 2, then it is important to play the odds on an elite #1 D. Those forwards are obviously both worth having up front. If Levshunov Vlasic and Rinzel have not been indicating they are that franchise changing cornerstone (not that they can’t still be important pieces), then spending our hopefully final top 5 rebuild selection to find one is the best play to make.

    And I sincerely hope we get Florida’s pick this year. They are uniquely bad this year so next year won’t be as high, in a draft thar isn’t as deep.

  21. Stenberg and McKenna are the easiest answer in the world if you have a top 2 pick. If you fall further and they’re gone I like Alberts Smits. He maybe doesnt have an offensive ceiling of Korchinski but I think his defensive floor is much higher than Korchinski could dream of right now.

    Scenario 1

    Stenberg/McKenna- Bedard- Kantserov

    Nazar- Frondel-Lardis

    Bertuzzi-Moore-Turbo

    Donato-Greene-Mangiapane or Burakovsky or Illya

    Slaggert/Boisvert fighting to make team

    Buyout one of Mangi or Burky

    Vlassic-Arty

    Kaiser-Rinzel

    EDM/Crevier

    7th D-man Veteran D

    Package Korch with later pick to move back into 1st round to target a late round LHD that projects more as an offensive defensive or Two way Defenseman, Xavier Villeneuve(OFD), Malte Gustavson (TWD)

    Scenario 2
    Hawks miss out on McKenna or Stenberg and draft Alberts Smits

    Frondel-Bedard-Kantserov

    Bertuzzi-Nazar-Lardis

    Donato-Moore-Turbo

    Mangiapane-Greene-Illya/or Burky

    Vlasic-Arty

    Smits-Rinzel

    Kasier/Del Mastro- Crevier

    7th D -Kaiser or Del Mastro

    Same scenario as before packaging Korchinski with a later pick to jump back into the first round but now looking for a falling scoring first winger/forward like Elton Hermansson, Nikita Klepov, or Ryan Roobroeck

  22. Some Brian Burke-esque shenanigans to obtain the Ruck Brothers.

    On a more serious note: McKenna, Stenberg, sell it for higher end forward help right now, in that order.

    Bert – Bedard – Frondell

    McKenna – Nazar – Kantserov would be WICKED.

    Stenberg – Bedard – Frondell

    Bert – Nazar – Kantserov would be great too, I just think spreading the wealth of skill would be better and McKenna having center ability whereas Stenberg is solely a winger. And then when Bert’s up Vanacker or Nestrasil will take his place.

  24. McKenna at 1, Stenberg at 2. Although it’s a coin toss. At 3 I would probably go with Smits or Carels for need, but I really like Malhotra. After that it’s just who’s left of that bunch.

  26. Mckenna, Stenberg, Reid.

    I don’t think Stenberg’s offense touches McKenna and while both are great players, McKenna has a chance to be a truly special one offensively. Stenberg is undeniably more well rounded, but not so much that I think his skillset offsets how much better McKenna is offensively.

    We’ve built out defense and a more 2 way depth forward in Frondell vs the offensive ceiling guys over the last 4 years. If you trust your drafting, you’ve drafted good complimentary players to support your superstars. Stenberg is definitely more than complimentary and should be very good, but the offensive difference makes McKenna my clearcut choice at the top. I’ll be disappointed (per usual) if we pass on McKenna for Stenberg and will definitely be doing a career comparison like we do with Lev/Demi. In any other scenario I’m elated with Stenberg and think our rebuild will have finally taken a player who has potential to be a secondary star. McKenna is just so much better offensively that I feel you can’t not pick him.

  31. I want 8 pts in a game, you say something about my mother ill break your jaw, silky smooth mitts McKenna.

    But I would be happy with Stenberg or even Bjorck (if we can get him with the FLA pick especially.)

    Im skittish with GMKD’s previous high OA d-man picks. Don’t get me wrong, both could turn out all right but right now, even if they both just became decent NHLers, we would all agree that level of achievement doesn’t befit their draft position.

  32. Yeah I feel like if not McKenna then Stenberg, if we don’t get a chance at either I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a trade involving a bigger forward piece for Bedard.

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