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

[Hattrick Kane]

You okay?

Oh I’m drunk as shit. But still calling Lev a meh pick makes no sense when everyone below him is the exact same thing

 

[Styles]

You okay?

Just going full styles. He’s fine.

 

[clydesdale line]

You okay?

Considering he's talking to ndgt10 I'll allow it.

 

[Chelios]

Not going to argue with you about if a herniated disc for an 18 year old is a red flag to draft him at #2OA. Anyone with a brain would say that it is. Back issues in hockey players are progressively going to get worse. That's just the way it goes in this sport. That's coming from someone who has played it for like 35 years, and has plenty of back issues, himself. An 18 year old who has already had a herniated disc in his back... is more likely than not going to see that disc progressively worsen over time, as it is degenerating, especially playing a high speed, high impact sport like hockey. Why in God's name would it make sense to draft an 18 year old onto an NHL team, at #2OA, who already has back issues that are likely going to be chronic, and will progressively get worse?

If you think that herniated discs aren't a possible indicator or early indication of disc degeneration, I ask that you go look it up yourself.

Or you can just read some of the below links. I highlighted specific references to what I've been saying.

Disc degeneration after disc herniation: are we accelerating the process? - PMC

Study design: Systematic review. Study rationale: Disc degeneration is a common process starting early in life. Often disc herniation is an early step in disc degeneration, which may cause pain or stenosis. How quickly this subsequent disc ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"Often disc herniation is an early step in disc degeneration, which may cause pain or stenosis."

Herniated disk - Symptoms and causes

www.mayoclinic.org

"Disk herniation is most often the result of a gradual, aging-related wear and tear called disk degeneration."

Herniated Disc

The bones (vertebrae) that form the spine in the back are cushioned by discs. These discs are round, like small pillows, with a tough, outer layer

www.aans.org

"Discs that become herniated usually are in an early stage of degeneration."

I am not going to get in a debate about disc degeneration on a hockey forum, not fair to put other posters through that. I will say that the general trend across not just the back, but the entire body, is that we are getting away from relying strictly on imaging to determine whether something is “pathological”. If something “looks” pathological on imaging, but the person has no pain and no dysfunction, then is it really pathological? Especially if this “pathology” is something that happens in basically everyone as they get older to varying degrees. The study you linked was looking only at changes on imaging and didn’t look at all at pain and dysfunction.

Congrats on playing hockey for 35 years and having a bad back. I have played my entire life as well, had a disc herniation as a 20 year old, and have never had any significant issues since. I am also a practicing physiotherapist who deals with this stuff literally every day. As long as the issue was dealt with appropriately and he responded well to treatment, this isn’t something that is doomed to follow him his entire career.

 

[cassac]

Just putting it out there that I herniated a disk on a bad landing in an airborne operation in my early 20s and had surgery for it. Went on to be in the Army for another 20 years mostly in the airborne infantry with no other back issues.

Hockey does not even compare to what I was doing in things that are bad on your back. It is going to be a crapshoot on how Lindstrom’s back plays out. The question really is at what point in the draft is it worth taking a gamble on that risk against his talent.

 

[HawksDub89]

Oh I’m drunk as shit. But still calling Lev a meh pick makes no sense when everyone below him is the exact same thing

That’s the thing for me. People acting like there’s a clear cut consensus #2.

You can disagree with the pick, but acting like it’s some ridiculous reach is clown shit.

Also, KD passes on Lev, he’ll likely get taken by Anaheim who reportedly LOVES levshunov. One of the best D development teams liking a d prospect that much should be a positive sign.

 

[hawksfan50]

I donnotcsubcribe to The Athletic...but for any on this board who do and who have read Oronman's revelation of a herniated disc suffered by Lindstrom,diddle distinguish whether it was a lumbar disc herniation OR AN upper back disc tgat was herniated..

If upper back not lower back disc herniation then the future associated shortened career lenth/decline in performance after recovery from the initial injury is not so serious a concern.

Did Pronman say it was a lumbar (lower back) injury or merely sonething in the upper back ?

In any case NHL teams andvtheir doctors will know flag or if there is nothing to worry about.

 

[hawksfan50]

Hawks havec3 great Needs...not in anyborder:

.an elite top line forward to set up and score to make acdup on top linecwith Bedard.
You could go undersized and not physical but highly skilled =Denido...or go heavier stronger and a a bit taller with Iginla.. Amore complete package.

I think Iginla isc he better fit..because you cannot have 2 smaller skilled guys on samec line are likely to be leaned on by bigger heavier teams ...the "small line" will get pushed aroubd and not get pucks back in battles on the boards...resukt too much time without possession.. Also defensively goibgvti chase in D zone and not get pucks back quickly enough.

Si I fo not see Denidivvas a best fit with Bedard at all..forget BOA ..hevisca high ceiling ..but a riskier one given low quality of the MJL competition.. So may never get to hyped up ceiling despite his skills.

.A 2nd line 2C solution bringing speed size scoring aphysicality and be a match up ability and a 2090ft game.
There is only 1 choice worthy of a #2pick that fits this brief.. and that is LINDSTROM.

.A RD solution for initially thex2nd d-pairing
..Murphy must go...if not this season,by next season...
The most complete 2 way RD is Levshunov..Oarekh and Yakemchuk have hogher ceilings but Levshunov is higher floor than them...at least at this juncture ...Yakemchuk has best physicality of thec3 Lev 3nd Oarekh 3rd..Orekh has best stick ofvtgec3 with Lev 2nd and Yak 4rd..Yak attacks more aggressively and often ofcthec3 but that daring style leaves transition the otherxway risk ..Parekh is mire judicious in the attack...Lev is best when he transports the puck up ice ibtovthe o-zobe ..butvoncevib o-zobe goesxtova caution mode back on the pint..does notctakevitvto the net lije Yakemchuk can.Parekh does jump into intermediate o-zobe when he sees opprtubitu but either fires on net from intermediate range or directs passes fron there.. Lev is more old fashioned stayxat lij t..get shot tgrough on net ..but this mostly fron a distance at the point.Yaj can take puck right to the net ...goes deeper at times.. So all 3 differing styles.

Defensiveky..Patekh uses hisxstick ratgervtgan physically moving gutscoff the puck..You woukdvhipe he could develop that art to the point Keith did to be a goid defensive player.. Yaken children is the most physical but this can lead to getting out of position ifvhe goes chasing a hot...
So they all have good shots ...Thexquestion is as you group to NHL level competition which one scores the most goals ?The general consensus is that Parekh and Yakenchuk ifvtgey hit their ceiling pitential will score more goalscthan Levshunov.

The consensusxseems to be that Lev has best floorbofcthe 3 ...which is a traditional 3 D but top guy on 2nd pair for certain..so may be your 2nd brst t dmanbut in a 2nd pair role IG you already have a #1dman as RD on the first pairings...which is the case with %9.5for 6 more seasons.. In effect Jones blocks any RD we pick from getting #1D status as 1RD .
However Lev's ceiling might be either 1D or 2D playing 1RD if Jones is traded or is gone afterc6 more seasons ...if Lev moves up into 1RD rile then it depends iid who we have pkayobg 1LD at that time woukd be considered our best dman ...ifvonlyv2nd brst then Lev if plying 1RD would be considered our best to be cobsoderedxax1D..andboaud accordingly.

So whike Parekhbor Yakemchuk have hifherxceikingscto be "tge giuy" as a furure1D,they might not improvevtgeir defensive efficiency to be trusted enough with top pairing role.. Maybe they even hotvonly a lower floor as ax3rd pair RD but play as po specialists?

Lev probaly geysxevery role...Po and PK...

So Lev is considered the more completec2 way dman..higher floor.. lowe ceiling butbplayscalk situations.

The other two can bec2s orcas (in pairibgs) but Lev seems a safer 2 .

Alk 3 could be 1s bit if that happens thevotgerctwo would be higher points ceilings..

So Lev isctgecsafer middle giy you can rely on ofvtgec3 ..
That seems to be the view of most when considering ranking..


So If Hawks are targeting RDcas top priority at #2,they would seem to be taking thevkeastcrosk .. sacrificing a potential higher ceiling for a more steady in the middle risk at that high floor with Levshunov.

So from alk the talk Hawks seem to be leaning Levshunov...it seems the RD need solution is higher priority than the Big 2C need,or the winger fit for Bedard nerd.


Hawks cannot get all 3 needs fixed with just 2 #2overall pick..can only get 2 of tgec3 needs fixed.

There will not be a Big morevphysical 2C solution at #18.
There will be a 2C candidate though in Michael Hage ift he lastscto #28 ..
Not really physical.. but highly skilled and creative plus a good motor and great skater..fits KD target preference.

I think if they go Dman at #2,they would d be targeting a Center at #18...

I see a few guys as targets at #18if tey use the pick the pick and do not move up in some package deal using other pick or picks invround 2 or by takng back a contract +giving up #18...

So if Hawks use #18 and Hagexakreadyvofc tge board;

.Brandsegg-Nygaard RW
.Jett Luchanko C/RW
I personally woukd not take eitger...I see these more as 3rd liners ceilings..

I would take LD Stian Solberg even if Hawks youth (Vlasic+KK ) and pipeline ( EdM ,Alken,Kaiser)well stocked at LD ..

Solberg ,(one of the biggest risers in the draft rankibgs in 2nd half after great showings at WJHC and World Hockey Championshp tournaments is a human eraser defensively..very physical and nasty to play against ...he led the combinein the agility testing..Very good skater and he shoedvhevcan both finish checks and "stick" on his checks ...Just textbook comptencevyou want in a defending dman ..that plus super almost violent but clean hitting is the kind of helk you want to present to attacking forwards.. I think heviscthe best most advanced defensive dman I the draft..Good size /very strong +goidxsjatibg=cannot miss. No risk at all..certified goibgvtonpkay an important big monutesxroke on an NHK team..You want this guy on your team to go to battlewith.
So impressive was Solberg at World Juniors and World Mens Hockey Championship that Craig Button has moved him all the way uoto #15 on his latest rankibg!

Maybe is already off the board when pick at #18?

Anyway ..if KD takes Lev at #2,he probably goes either C or RW at #18 ..but I would take Solberg at this spot...to me he is clear BPA even if LD isa heavy strength in our youth +pipeline ..
Yes EdM brings physicality.. vutvhevis not as good a skater as Solberg is..

EdM has plkayed RD in Juniors...Misissauga used him about 40% of the time at RD on his off side.. they would give him a RD role in alternating patterns for both PO and PK work and in double shifting work..So yes he would be a left shot RD ..but still he has familiarity with tge RD position.

Or maybe they use KK or Allen or Kaiser at RD ..

So ideally in 2025/26 it could be:

Vlasic Jones
Solberg Levshunov
KK Rinzel/EdM

Kk will need drastic improvement defensively or massively more production in offense to keep his spot on the team ..

This type of competition is good.

So yes..I would take Solberg if there at #18 even if it seems we do not need another LD .

But we do need more physicality on D .. Solberg changes the dynamic ...makes us much more physical in the d'corps...A better compliment to Levshunov for 2nd paring because Kk has still a lot to fix defensively..if he cannot fix it he maybge a bust ..

Sure we Still have our$9.5 problem...but there is only so much one can do .

 

[Malaka]

Just putting it out there that I herniated a disk on a bad landing in an airborne operation in my early 20s and had surgery for it. Went on to be in the Army for another 20 years mostly in the airborne infantry with no other back issues.

Hockey does not even compare to what I was doing in things that are bad on your back. It is going to be a crapshoot on how Lindstrom’s back plays out. The question really is at what point in the draft is it worth taking a gamble on that risk against his talent.

1/3rd of surgeries go really well
1/3rd of surgeries nothing changes
1/3rd of surgeries f*** you up worse than you could have ever imagined before

Just kidding but the herniation surgery recurrence is like 5-15%, I think it’s possible to heal well (if traumatic, not degenerative) with physical therapy

That said if it is the result of say him not adjusting skating patterns as he grew, or if he continues to develop his playstyle as a power forward — there are risks to consider which I would avoid regardless.

I don’t even know why we’re discussing Lindstrom though like he’s not on the hawks radar unless he drops. If the hawks move down to the 10OA or about there and it’s him and yakemchuk, who do you swing on? Regardless of lev/demi

 

[belfour30]

1/3rd of surgeries go really well
1/3rd of surgeries nothing changes
1/3rd of surgeries f*** you up worse than you could have ever imagined before

Just kidding but the herniation surgery recurrence is like 5-15%, I think it’s possible to heal well (if traumatic, not degenerative) with physical therapy

That said if it is the result of say him not adjusting skating patterns as he grew, or if he continues to develop his playstyle as a power forward — there are risks to consider which I would avoid regardless.

I don’t even know why we’re discussing Lindstrom though like he’s not on the hawks radar unless he drops. If the hawks move down to the 10OA or about there and it’s him and yakemchuk, who do you swing on? Regardless of lev/demi

Powers said it's between Levshunov and Demidov.
We shall see what happens after the Russian prospect showcase this week. Demidov won't be skating but he will be there.

I think they should go with Demidov, but I won't be disappointed with Lev. Can't go wrong either way imo. Lev is going to be a good D. I think he has a good shot to be a top pairing defender. Whether that's a #1 or #2 remains to be seen.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Powers said it's between Levshunov and Demidov.

Actually he said it could be Silayev

 

[belfour30]

Actually he said it could be Silayev

Yeah he did say that there was an outside chance that it could be Silayev.
If the Hawks pick Silayev they better be damn sure he's the next Hedman.

 

[Malaka]

Powers said it's between Levshunov and Demidov.
We shall see what happens after the Russian prospect showcase this week. Demidov won't be skating but he will be there.

I think they should go with Demidov, but I won't be disappointed with Lev. Can't go wrong either way imo. Lev is going to be a good D. I think he has a good shot to be a top pairing defender. Whether that's a #1 or #2 remains to be seen.

At ~10, assuming we can trade down — do you take Yakemchuk or Lindstrom

 

[belfour30]

At ~10, assuming we can trade down — do you take Yakemchuk or Lindstrom

I love Yakemchuk. I'd trade down to 5 if I could and take him there, I like him that much.

In a perfect world, the Hawks could take on Skinner to move up to 11 and get both Demidov and Yakemchuk. I think Yakemchuk is going to go higher than most think.

 

[Kevin Musto]

At ~10, assuming we can trade down — do you take Yakemchuk or Lindstrom

1. Chicago isn't moving down.
2. If we're getting within range of 10, it's because we're moving up from 18.
3. It's entirely possible BOTH Yakemchuk and Lindstrom are off the board by then.
4. Lindstrom is the better prospect imo, but depends how you feel about his health.

 

[TheFridge]

I honestly don't even care who the Hawks take 2nd overall anymore. It's a crapshoot after Celebrini.

 

[Malaka]

1. Chicago isn't moving down.
2. If we're getting within range of 10, it's because we're moving up from 18.
3. It's entirely possible BOTH Yakemchuk and Lindstrom are off the board by then.
4. Lindstrom is the better prospect imo, but depends how you feel about his health.

Trade up*
Whoops

 

[dj Mahoney]

I'd rather have Solberg than half of the top 6 D in this draft .

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

At ~10, assuming we can trade down — do you take Yakemchuk or Lindstrom

The answer is yes.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I'd rather have Solberg than half of the top 6 D in this draft .

Watch more Buium.

 

[Mrfenn92]

I honestly don't even care who the Hawks take 2nd overall anymore. It's a crapshoot after Celebrini.

Let’s get it over already

 

[ello]

I'd rather have Solberg than half of the top 6 D in this draft .

So underrated. Had such an impressive World Championships matching up against NHLers and had 2 goals which were against Canada and Czechia, who won the tournament. Did a great job against Bedard and that video of him standing up Parayko at the blue line was so cool to see.

Only dman I have clearly above him is Buium, and even then I can see a world where he's equally as valuable because his physicality, energy and engagement

 

[Malaka]

The answer is yes.

Okay. One more thing:

Would you rather be the leading scientist in your field or die of mad cow?

And we all know the moon is not made of green cheese but would you eat it if it was made of barbecue spare ribs? I know I would. Heck I'd have seconds and then polish it off with a tall cool Budweiser - I would do it. Would you?

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Okay. One more thing:

Would you rather be the leading scientist in your field or die of mad cow?

And we all know the moon is not made of green cheese but would you eat it if it was made of barbecue spare ribs? I know I would. Heck I'd have seconds and then polish it off with a tall cool Budweiser - I would do it. Would you?

This deals not gonna make or break me Norm.

 

[ndgt10]