Who should the Chicago Blackhawks select 2nd overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft?

[Hawkaholic]

I think they’ll pick Levshunov, and he’ll be good.

But I think Parekh is gonna be the Quinn Hughes of this draft.

I doubt it. Guy can't handle the physical game, and I dont think his skating is nearly as good as Hughes.

 

[JaegerDice]

I doubt it. Guy can't handle the physical game, and I dont think his skating is nearly as good as Hughes.

His skating form isn't as smooth as Hughes, but he still gets where he wants to go quickly. Duncan Keith was criticized for his choppy stride in his draft year too. Sometimes it doesn't need to look pretty, it just needs to work.

He's 6 ft 180 lbs in his draft year, I don't think size or fear of contact will be much of an issue. He evades hits cause he can.

We shall see, but a 100pt dman is a crazy thing to pass up.

 

[Hawkaholic]

His skating form isn't as smooth as Hughes, but he still gets where he wants to go quickly. Duncan Keith was criticized for his choppy stride in his draft year too. Sometimes it doesn't need to look pretty, it just needs to work.

He's 6 ft 180 lbs in his draft year, I don't think size or fear of contact will be much of an issue. He evades hits cause he can.

We shall see, but a 100pt dman is a crazy thing to pass up.

Duncan Keith was a unicorn. He was elite defensively, Parekhs biggest weak point at this stage. I never said size was an issue, and no, he doesn't evade contact, that was my whole point, he gets hit hard, and gets hurt quite frequently. I dont think he has close to 100pt upside. Maybe 60pt as a PP QB.

 

[hawksfan50]

Is Demidov at the combine?

Hard to know what to think of 2nd knee injury.he got late nearxtge end of the MHL Chamionshio Final series...hexwas on crutches forcthe clinching game of the Fibal ..

So hisxagent naturally said he does not require surgery and woukd recover in 6-8 weeks.. I guess this means he is either only doing interviews at the combine ...notctestong...And how can you trust his gent with the truth on the medical reports?

Is this an issue with NHL teams now?

Itvhardlycseensxsovwith alk the buzz on Denidov..but realky would you draft a kid without medical reports and reports you can trust ...not just words from hisxagent.

I do not know if Hawks can get a trustworthy reoirt or get hom examined by their doctors...Sso notcsurevif he is at the combinebir notvto even look hom o the face to ask about the status of his knee now ..

2 injuries to same knee in same season is concerning to me..Is his dangling going to lead to such injury risks again even if he fikkyvrecovers?
At least with Cayden Lindstrom they can trust the medical reports sent to all 32cteans by his doctors and physiotherapists..

Can KDxaffordctge egg on his face if Demidov"s knee does not get back to 100%?

Without Hawks own doctors examining him,I do notcthink a GM banking on certainty woukdxtakecon such axrisk of perhaps wati bg a high puck on an unknown status of a damaged knee on justctgexwordvof hos agent or from a faked medicakvrepirt given by his Gentle (who knows if it was a doctored cover-up tor Noland that us IF such acrepirt was given to clubs at all..

 

[Castle8130]

Draft kings odds came in today. Below are the odds for 2nd oa

Levshunov -105

Demidov +135

Silayev +1000

Lindstrom +1200

Catton +7500

Buium +10000

Helenius +15000

Parekh +15000


If I was gambling, I'd throw some on Demidov due to Mackenzie's scouts favoring him in his latest lottery polls

 

[Castle8130]

Is Demidov at the combine?

Hard to know what to think of 2nd knee injury.he got late nearxtge end of the MHL Chamionshio Final series...hexwas on crutches forcthe clinching game of the Fibal ..

So hisxagent naturally said he does not require surgery and woukd recover in 6-8 weeks.. I guess this means he is either only doing interviews at the combine ...notctestong...And how can you trust his gent with the truth on the medical reports?

Is this an issue with NHL teams now?

Itvhardlycseensxsovwith alk the buzz on Denidov..but realky would you draft a kid without medical reports and reports you can trust ...not just words from hisxagent.

I do not know if Hawks can get a trustworthy reoirt or get hom examined by their doctors...Sso notcsurevif he is at the combinebir notvto even look hom o the face to ask about the status of his knee now ..

2 injuries to same knee in same season is concerning to me..Is his dangling going to lead to such injury risks again even if he fikkyvrecovers?
At least with Cayden Lindstrom they can trust the medical reports sent to all 32cteans by his doctors and physiotherapists..

Can KDxaffordctge egg on his face if Demidov"s knee does not get back to 100%?

Without Hawks own doctors examining him,I do notcthink a GM banking on certainty woukdxtakecon such axrisk of perhaps wati bg a high puck on an unknown status of a damaged knee on justctgexwordvof hos agent or from a faked medicakvrepirt given by his Gentle (who knows if it was a doctored cover-up tor Noland that us IF such acrepirt was given to clubs at all..

Demidov is not attending the combine. Both him and Levshunov along with other high profile Russians will be at the Russian camp hosted in Florida.
Demidov is currently undergoing physical therapy in Florida in preparation for the camp

 

[BHawk21]

Im starting to think they are going to take Levshunov.

So rarely does a team take an average sized winger top 3. Only Drouin and Yakupov have been under 6ft wingers taken that high since 2007 Kane.

big right handed defenseman are so valuable too.

 

[Wally1112pac]

I want Demidov but I won't be upset if they pick Levshunov or Lindstrom (if health checks out)

 

[TLEH]

I think they'll take Levshunov because they've seen him live and its a huge pick. I personally think its going to be the wrong pick though.

 

[Dr Salt]

There are some reports Demidov has grown however I will say I don't expect to really know where Chicago stands on him until they interview him.

 

[Chuck Testa]

I'll be disappointed if they take Levshunov 2nd overall. Just like I was disappointed when they took Dach 3rd overall. THAT particular draft has kinda been a disappointment, though. I wanted Byram since Keith was obviously on his way out the door.

Time will tell, I guess.

 

[Sacha BOXviert]

Im starting to think they are going to take Levshunov.

So rarely does a team take an average sized winger top 3. Only Drouin and Yakupov have been under 6ft wingers taken that high since 2007 Kane.

big right handed defenseman are so valuable too.

The important thing is what he measures in 4-5 years. And he's already over 5'11 at 18 years old.

 

[u2wojo]

There has been talk Demidov is above 6' and I am sure there will be tape measures at the Russian showcase in a week or two and the Hawks will know exactly how tall Levshunov and Demidov are. If Demidov is 6'1 or even 6' that probably tilts me toward taking him and hoping you can trade up to get Yakemchuk or hope Jiricek or Emery are on the board with a later pick. While I also hate putting off add RHD to the prospect poll as D tending to need a little longer to develop, next years draft seems like it has several high end RHD again....2 in the top 10 and 5 in top 28 of Wheelers recent ranking.

I just beocome reconciled to hope the Hawks scouts make the right choice and we end up with an impactful player as I certainly have no idea how any of these kids will turn out and the professionals seem to have differing opinoins to.

 

[Cold Steel on Ice]

Sam Dickinson should be the pick.He is what we hope Korchinski can become.Big super fast booming shot.A captain at almost every level.Don’t worry about which hand he shoots with.Rh defense will be available in the second round.Elick would be a nice add.

 

[Kevin Musto]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1799487271374049294

 

[Hattrick Kane]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1799487271374049294

Blackhawks must have told everyone to piss off and that he was the pick.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Blackhawks must have told everyone to piss off and that he was the pick.

Kind of feels that way.

Why would Anaheim, Columbus, Montreal, and Utah not take him out to dinner?

They must know he's not available.

Or they think he's a bum, but that seems far less likely.

 

[giza]

I heard he slurps and has terrible dinner manners so there's the public image consideration

 

[hawksfan50]

Well it sure seems like a 2 kid race between Levshunov and Demidov at#2for tge Hawks..

As to Levshunov his Consokidated Ranking according to alk tgexrakers ekiteorospects.con listed on its website cane out to #3overall...

But a closer analysis of thise rankibg orgs or persons tgey list reveals a lit of different opinions and much lower rankinings:

#6 McKeen's
#6 The Hockey News-Tim Ferrari
#7 Craig Button
#7 SMAHT HOCKEY
#9 FC HOCKEY
.#9 Dobber Hockey
#10 Recrutes Scouting

WILL SCOUCHING who was not listed among the rankers shown on the ekiteprosoects com website has him ranked #8


This is a lot of divergent opinion about a suposed BPA at #2to ve considered by KD.

Let me paraphrase sone of the issues with Kevshunov according to what I read in Scouchong's comments on hm:

.not a top defender of this draft class
.however he is a certain role guy used as a d-stopoer with some offense and size.
. needs to improve lateral gao closures as he can lose physical battles when he goes chasing from a distance or get beat by faster players..

.however he is a hulking fluid skater ...can move the puck and has short range pass vision..

.SCOUCHING concludes that Levshunov has a strong FLOOR...but that the offebse may not project in tge NHL ..


This is sort of my thoughts on Levshunov...passes KD's mantra on skating...has size and some physicality..but physicality sonetines lost ifvhe goes chasing to make a hit from distance ...leaving position and not beibg as effective as physical force as you think hexshoukd be ...when at home he can create clear but at times he goes chasing to make a hit and it leads to trouble..

As to offense ..he can skate oicks up ice...but is not realky that dynamic once in o-zone ...stays at the point...has a boomingvshotvand scored goalsxat tge junior and collegiate levels but to me he is not dynamic enough in the o-zone to be a real PP1qb...nor a 1RD ...if you thinkSeth Jones is an elitetop tier NHL dman ..then I am obscure Levshunov is going to beca legit 1D eitger...He is I hope better defebsivekytgan Jones and I do think he has a better shot than Jones..but hevis no Hedman...

High Floor as a 2RD...so yes...much better skater and shooter and defender than Connor Barfy.. so all is notlost if KD picks Levshunov #2...he will be a 2RD level player ..

But the other issuei s..if I am wromg and he shows he can take 1RD leader role and big minutes/all situations all
-round role we will need IF Seth Jones can be moved,the facts Seth Jones is very hard to move given his cao number,term ,and NMC....
Thus Levushunov sticks as 2RD starting in 2025/26 season(because he will not turn pro till 1 more season at MSU...

I thought Rinzel could be a gookd 2RD given the progress he .has made...Clearly Levshunov has better production...so I guess Rinzel is 3D when he joins the Show.

Akk this is to ask..why woukd you value a2RD as highvas #2overall..I do not getvit.

To me he is onlyva #6- 10 at best.

Neither what I saw from him when I watched a few games of MSU nor from the persons/scouting orgs who have him much lower than #2 to a #4 overall ,do I see amenity #1nhk Dnan star prosoect...I see ibstead a certain much better than Murohy 2RD...a team inorivenentvfirctge Hawjs for sure..but not onavoick as high as #2..

I cannot see it..yet all the runours are if KD uses #2 for dman...he is who they are taking.

But KD is also considering taking a forward...Demidov seems the favorite...
O an lerry about both his limited size and making Hawks too smalk up front and akso on staus of his 2nd knee injury incurred at end of the MHL Chamionship Final...Hawks will need to see a medical reoirt given by his agent or determine if they can trust Hisxagent who willbe having a probday featuring his Rusdian clients eligible for the draft where Demidiv is suoosed to be among them.

If that satisfies KD maybe he goes Denidov over Levshunov..

We shall see.

If it was me I would draft Lindstrom who I see has all the makings of either a 1C
Power Center/match-up Center /and physical force out/ there...size,speed scoring and 3 zone defending ,huge size..huge upside...and so unless tge medical reports came back non-satisfactory to KD, I think he is crazy to pass on such a unicorn..Haws need size along with scoribgbuo front..hevgivescyou both...option to move Bedard to wing or to 2C facing lesser lines if Lindstrom at 1C...if not you get a 1C dominator physically and defending who plays 2C...almost like splitting Kane and Tiews except in such a scenario you still can play both as Centers..

It would give the Hawks far better structural options up front in the top six forward group.

But that is if I were drafting.

So question on Levshunov is ooprtunity cost of instead pricking higher value ceilings potential for stari mpactat =gone..like 'settling for only good not great.. I doubt his presence makes the Hawks a dominant team bu his own cobtribution..Bit can be a good secondary role addition.


Denidiv much highervmpact if he stays healthy regarding his knee or if he can avoid future kneevinjuries ...ANDvdoes it make Hawjsxtoo smalk up front ..

1 fobak thiughtbon Demidov...ifvhrbpaysxwith Brdard will they actually work well together?

Or are 2 "artistes" too much to share the same puck on the same line?

I donnot know the answer to that, ...but if both chasing pucks in our d-zone that they cannot get back from bigger NHL players,cannot win board and net battles due to being undersized,then yes suchva duo together might bea failure.


Thus I think other teams drafting after#2 are going to add talent with a lot less questions concerning theirvvaluecandvoitebtial impact..

The Hawks coukd be making a big mistake ..

Almost wish we draftedxa few spots lower ..

 

[Kevin Musto]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1799485440623296680

https://x.com/i/web/status/1799489112107335800

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Feels like its Levshunov at #2

 

[Giovi]

Feels like its Levshunov at #2

I think the Chicago press would be spending a lot of time covering Demidov as well, were he there.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Blackhawks items from 2024 NHL Scouting Combine: Artyom Levshunov makes strong impression

Artyom Levshunov made a strong impression at the 2024 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, particularly in his interview portion.

sports.yahoo.com

Blackhawks items from 2024 NHL Scouting Combine: Artyom Levshunov makes strong impression​

 

[pvr]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1799489112107335800

Pandering to the Hawks front office.

 

[Larmer83]