With multiple player shutdowns and a really poor record, it appears the Blackhawks will only have one first round pick this summer, with Florida retaining their selection.

Entering the NHL season, the Chicago Blackhawks had two first round picks in the coming NHL Draft this June. However, a small wrinkle, seemingly hidden from the public, suggested that the Florida Panthers, who sent their first-round pick to Chicago in the Seth Jones deal, had a top-10 protection on their selection. Well, it appears every Blackhawks fans’ worst fear will be realized.

According to reports out of Florida, the Panthers will sit Sam Reinhardt, Brad Marchand, Niko Mikkola, Evan Rodrigues, Jonah Gadjovich, Anton Lundell, and Uvis Balinskis will all sit out the remainder of the regular season. Don’t forget, the team is already missing Aleksander Barkov due to an injury during training camp. With that in mind, here are the team’s lines ahead of their next game on Tuesday, Mar. 31.

Worth noting, that is Cole Reinhardt in the lineup, not Sam.

Although the team’s top-six is still respectable, the Panthers are a shell of themselves due to all the injuries this season. In addition, the Panthers have the sixth-worst record in the NHL, meaning that they will more than likely be keeping their 2026 first round selection. A mini hot streak can certainly change that, but it seems unlikely.

Story continues below.

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What’s On Tap Next?

For the Blackhawks, this means they will have three first round selections in 2027, barring a catastrophic season for the Edmonton Oilers in 2026-27. That is a lot of draft capital for a team who should be turning a corner. Perhaps one, or more, of those picks are flipped this summer in an effort to add another star player to the mix.

Fortunately for Chicago, the NHL standings are all over the place this season. It appears the perfect storm will benefit the Hawks, giving them another shot at a top-3 selection. However, losing out on a second high pick in a loaded draft is a bit of a disappointment.