NHL insider Frank Seravalli rocked the Chicago Blackhawks fanbase on Friday morning when he announced that the Florida Panthers 2026 first-round draft pick is top-ten protected.
Nearly one year ago, the Blackhawks traded defenseman Seth Jones and a 2026 fourth-round pick to Florida in exchange for that 2026 draft choice and goaltender Spencer Knight. The deal occurred on Mar. 3, 2025, ahead of the trade deadline.
Over the last 11 months, it was never reported that the Blackhawks actually received a conditional 2026 first-round selection in the trade. When Seravalli posted the updated 2026 NHL Draft lottery odds at the Olympic break on his X account on Friday, that was the first time the pick was labeled as top-ten protected.
Naturally, both Blackhawks and Panthers fans alike were surprised by that detail, as neither side was aware of the stipulation. There were countless replies from folks seeking clarification, and Seravalli later confirmed through a league source that Florida’s 2026 pick is indeed top-ten protected. How did that slip through the cracks for nearly one year?
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A clarification that seemed to catch #TimeToHunt and #Blackhawks fans offguard – yes, Florida’s 2026 pick is Top 10 protected.
Details here:https://t.co/WBf4rsW2pc
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 6, 2026
Very rarely do details like this get kept in the dark. Even most media members were unaware of the condition involved with the pick. However, the Blackhawks’ front office confirmed on Friday that they knew about this the entire time. It was just never disclosed, for whatever reason.
Entering the Olympic break, the Panthers currently sit eight points back of a playoff spot and have lost five of their last six games. The two-time defending champions are dealing with a slew of injuries and have the third-worst points percentage in the Eastern Conference.
Blackhawks fans were beginning to get excited about the possibility of having two first-round picks in 2026, which didn’t seem too far-fetched, given how banged up the Panthers are. However, it won’t be possible for Chicago to end up in that situation unless they acquired a pick from another club. If Florida finishes the season among the NHL’s ten worst teams, that pick will slide to 2027.
With Florida having that insurance policy for their top pick this summer, it could allow them, should they so choose, to shut down all their injured players after the Olympics and effectively punt on the rest of the 2025-26 season. In theory, they could tank down the stretch, remain in the draft lottery process, and then add a top pick to their arsenal.
While the Blackhawks still have their own 2026 first-rounder, which seems likely to be among the top selections, it’s rather disappointing that they could have to wait another year to receive the draft pick from Florida. Although, it’s certainly still possible that the Panthers find their stride over the final 25 games and make a run for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After all, they’ve reached the Final in three consecutive years and know how to win with their backs against the wall.
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