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

[Drumman44]

We've already drafted a lot of players, will draft even more players this year, and next. I think we should take the player that we think is best at 2, because we need elite players. I don't like the idea of trading down.

Quality over quantity at this point.

Demidov said hes looking to possibly play center. Hes a no brainer if they think hes a full time center.

Even if he's a wing who can take a draw, that would be extremely useful.

 

[Castle8130]

We've already drafted a lot of players, will draft even more players this year, and next. I think we should take the player that we think is best at 2, because we need elite players. I don't like the idea of trading down.

I very much agree with the sentiment that we need more elite players, but we'd still get an elite player at #5 and the 26th oa pick is going to get us a chance at another elite player. We can even trade the 20th oa pick + the 26th oa pick for another top 10 pick.

Instead of drafting 2nd oa + 20th oa. The Hawks could trade to get 5th oa + 8th oa or something like this. On top of that, the Hawks can trade the acquired 2nd pick we just got to package with our 34th oa + another late 2nd pick to get into the early 20's or top 20 again.

This is much more of an NHL video game style of trading, but I'm trying to illustrate the value this trade could get us.

 

[TLEH]

I very much agree with the sentiment that we need more elite players, but we'd still get an elite player at #5 and the 26th oa pick is going to get us a chance at another elite player. We can even trade the 20th oa pick + the 26th oa pick for another top 10 pick.

Instead of drafting 2nd oa + 20th oa. The Hawks could trade to get 5th oa + 8th oa or something like this. On top of that, the Hawks can trade the acquired 2nd pick we just got to package with our 34th oa + another late 2nd pick to get into the early 20's or top 20 again.

This is much more of an NHL video game style of trading, but I'm trying to illustrate the value this trade could get us.

I'd rather draft at 2 and try and trade one of our 3 2nds to get 20 into the early/mid teens rather than draft at 5 and 8.

Like 2 and 13 rather than 5 and 8.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

You don't want to draft a player who's a "f***ing animal" ?

Because you literally can't use those words to describe any of the other top prospects in the draft

Bob Probert was a f***ing animal. No I don't want to draft him at two.

 

[hawksfan50]

I look at it differently...Demidov+Bedatd =Kane+Panarin...result lots of exciting "show" in regukarxseason..lotscof points..But fizelecikevin pkayoffs when pushrdxaround ..plus forcedcto defend own zone too long ..reaukt=cannot win Cup.

You need to add structured bigs for matches.. for wining battles..for forcing g pucks off tyebopos..for occupying opp dmen in front of their net..

You cannot go alk smalk then depend on your big s on 3rd andc4th lines who will be slower slugs..

KD has to balance tge Bedatds Bazars Moores and Kantserovs with sone bigger stronger better defending and better net front guys.. You need Barkovs,TOEWS ,2 WAY BIGGERCSTRIMGER guys to do the matches and dog those pucks out.The little showboat or at least too many of them will get stymied and pushed around but he bigger teams.

It is tate that a winger who is small can be you key player up fromt...Usually that is a Center ...Kucherov is an exception.. But you can find even that in round two if you are lucky..But you will not get a Barkov or a Toews or Kopitar I round two..

Thisvisxwhu they should be smart and draft Lindstrom...we have nobody lije hom in the pipeline that projects to the need forca 2C 2 way matches and Big strong presence up front..plus he plays nasty..

We just do not have that anywhere I be pipeline.

Just think about what I am saying.

Besides everyone agrees there was no generational player anyway this draft.. Celebrinina cut above bit after that different fits and roles and needs will be valued ..not some wild goose prediction of ceilings that may never be reached..

No proof Demidov will be better than sone winger who emetged from roundvtwo.

It is a crao shhot ..but you cannot teach size strength and nastiness.Desperteky needed by small easily pushed around Hawks .

 

[WarriorofTime]

Iginla is a fine player. If his father was a 3rd line NHL player, nobody would entertain taking him 2nd overall.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Iginla is a fine player. If his father was a 3rd line NHL player, nobody would entertain taking him 2nd overall.

I've been saying how good Tij has been for months and it has nothing to do with blood lines. He had an incredible playoff and it's recency bias.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I've been saying how good Tij has been for months and it has nothing to do with blood lines. He had an incredible playoff and it's recency bias.

He's a good player. Agreed he had had a good postseason. A good pick for a team picking 10th. 2nd though? No, he hasn't shown that kind of ability.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

He's a good player. Agreed he had had a good postseason. A good pick for a team picking 10th. 2nd though? No, he hasn't shown that kind of ability.

I've been speaking highly of him for months and I agree. It just has nothing to do with who his dad is.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Iginla is a fine player. If his father was a 3rd line NHL player, nobody would entertain taking him 2nd overall.

False

 

[hawksfan50]

I also agree that IF we go forward not D with the #2 or trade down a few spots and target a forward,it should either be the 2C solution (Lindstrom) or the priority winger for Bedard =Iginla ..these the 2 glaring needs for us...

I do not know which of these needs KD values most with the opportunity presented.

We CAN also solve the Bedard winger with edgecand strength and skill via ufa veteramadfitions ..Somebody has to help Bedard by digging pucks out to him and also finishing off his passes..But itvcannot be anyonecwho geyscpushedxaround..so you know the type Bedard will need...not small Demodov.
And if Demidov injured on same knee that rules him out too.

For me I have the 2C big C with power,match-up 200 ft game and NASTY ahead of the Bedard winger solution which we can getvin other ways..

You grab the big 2C solution first ...theyvdo not come around often.

 

[ChicagoHockeyFan]

Watched a few Michigan State games yesterday and holy crap is the Seth Jones comp accurate with Lev. Don’t see the appeal of taking him over Buium if we are going D. Buium has more of the it factor and much more puck dominant which I like. That being said I hope the pick is Demidov

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Make the cherry picked stat case for Buium....

Pioneers, while basically ranked the same last year;
150GF 86 GA
This year:
202GF 120 GA
+18 over the prior season with 52 more goals scored.

That 202 GF led the NCAA by 19 goals over the next highest scoring team, and almost 40 more goals on the season than Boston U. Buium led his teams +/- at +34, with 9 additional skaters from +20 to +33 versus last year 4 skaters over +20. Some of this can be attributed to age, but IMO the addition of Buium to the team deserves credit too and many NCAA commenters agree he's the catalyst for this offensive explosion.

Buium finished second on the team in points with 50 in 42 games only behind 2022 7th rounder Jack Devine, which put him 10th in the league in scoring. Devine, BTW, almost doubled his point totals from last year, 31 to 56.

Denver won it all too.

All this from a guy 5 months younger than Bedard.

I would consider his impact as an addition to Denver's roster this season was what you'd call elite.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Watched a few Michigan State games yesterday and holy crap is the Seth Jones comp accurate with Lev. Don’t see the appeal of taking him over Buium if we are going D. Buium has more of the it factor and much more puck dominant which I like. That being said I hope the pick is Demidov

Yeah he looks a lot like Seth Jones, hence why I'm not keen on him at 2.

Buium is more dynamic but less projectable. I think the lack of top end speed will disqualify him anyway. "If you can't skate, you can't be a Blackhawk" or whatever that KD quote was. He is a good lateral skater though, he just won't win any footraces.

 

[ChicagoHockeyFan]

Yeah he looks a lot like Seth Jones, hence why I'm not keen on him at 2.

Buium is more dynamic but less projectable. I think the lack of top end speed will disqualify him anyway. "If you can't skate, you can't be a Blackhawk" or whatever that KD quote was. He is a good lateral skater though, he just won't win any footraces.

His lateral agility really shines through walking the line, Levshunov has so much more of a simple game which can be good at times. However at 2nd overall the dynamic qualities of Buium make him so much more appealing IMO

 

[Kevin Musto]

His lateral agility really shines through walking the line, Levshunov has so much more of a simple game which can be good at times. However at 2nd overall the dynamic qualities of Buium make him so much more appealing IMO

If you want dynamic and flashy, Zayne Parekh does that too and he's a better skater than Buium.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Yeah he looks a lot like Seth Jones, hence why I'm not keen on him at 2.

Buium is more dynamic but less projectable. I think the lack of top end speed will disqualify him anyway. "If you can't skate, you can't be a Blackhawk" or whatever that KD quote was. He is a good lateral skater though, he just won't win any footraces.

What's Buium's top speed?

And how does it compare to Korchinski's top speed?

 

[hockeydoug]

I'm for the higher floor at Levshunov. So hard to get top RHD. The position just isn't that deep.

Hawks don't know what to do with the puck anyway, and LR isn't going to help that much next year going into when Demidov is eventually here. I really like the idea of a decade plus of continuity at the back end. Playing with house money picking 1-2 last 2 years anyway.

 

[Kevin Musto]

What's Buium's top speed?

And how does it compare to Korchinski's top speed?

I don't have access to numbers, if that's what you're looking for.

He's slower than Korchinski. Buium's top end speed is like Adam Fox.

 

[u2wojo]

If you want dynamic and flashy, Zayne Parekh does that too and he's a better skater than Buium.

Which is the guy I would love if we could convince Montreal or Ottawa to trade both their 1st round picks with some other sugar added for #2. Parekh would give the pipeline a RHD we need AND a PP1 prospect that we lack other than Korchinski. Best case Korch and Parekh develop as hoped and you have a pair of D that can run the point on a PP with a lefty and a righty. Regardless I like the odds of having two guys in the sytem that can be that guy so hopefully you end up with one at worst.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Which is the guy I would love if we could convince Montreal or Ottawa to trade both their 1st round picks with some other sugar added for #2. Parekh would give the pipeline a RHD we need AND a PP1 prospect that we lack other than Korchinski. Best case Korch and Parekh develop as hoped and you have a pair of D that can run the point on a PP with a lefty and a righty. Regardless I like the odds of having two guys in the sytem that can be that guy so hopefully you end up with one at worst.

Yeah if you wanted to draft purely based on need, Parekh fills more holes than anyone else available.

I don't know if Kyle is going to like him more than Dickinson. And I don't know if Doneghey is going to like him more than Levshunov or even Buium.

But we'll see.

If you look at Parekh and think "what if he turns into Erik Karlsson?" then it's definitely someone you consider at 2.

 

[pvr]

Bob Probert was a f***ing animal. No I don't want to draft him at two.

Prime Al Secord would be great though. Eric Lindros better still. Or any similar scoring aggressive power forward.

 

[HjamSandwich]

Demidov at 2.

Trade #20, Leafs 1st, and #34 for a top 10 pick to grab a falling Lindstrom or Parekh.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Just to be serious for once, I don't think there's a "wrong" choice to make at #2.

Obviously 5+ years from now when the fog clears, there will be a right and wrong choice. Hindsight is 50/50.

I have my favourites, but you can make the argument for any of Silayev, Iginla, Lindstrom, Demidov, Levshunov, Dickinson, Parekh, or Buium.

I don't think anyone else is really in the conversation. There are players on the fringes like Eiserman, Helenius, Yakemchuk, Sennecke, Catton, Connelly, but I think those start to really look like reaches if you take them at 2.

So let's look at what I see as the core 8, and what you might have if you hit.

Anton Silayev: Behemoth shutdown defenseman. With him and Vlasic on the same team, even Connor McDavid would fear our blueline. If he hits, you've got Zdeno Chara.

Tij Iginla: Power forward. Staggering rate of improvement. Very young for the draft. He's essentially an entire year younger than Demidov and others. Would look great on Bedard's wing. If he hits, you've got Jarome Iginla.

Cayden Lindstrom: Power forward. Has everything going for him, except health. I really can't assess the potential risk with Lindstrom. That's up to the Blackhawks medical staff to figure out. Would be a good fit on Bedard's wing. If he hits, you've got what Kirby Dach should have been. But if the injury history winds up being a long term problem, well then you've got Kirby Dach.

Ivan Demidov: Skill winger. High talent level. Can showboat and dangle his way onto highlight reels. Will all of it translate to the NHL? Unlikely. But he should still be a spectacle player to some extent. Straight line speed is kind of like Bedard's, which is fine, but I wonder if they're the best fit. You want to pair Bedard with guys that are ideally faster and bigger than he is. Demidov isn't either of those things. I don't have a comp for him, but if he hits he's a 1st line winger.

Artyom Levshunov: Very toolsy RHD. Does he think and process the game at a high enough level? I think that will keep him from ever being a 1D, but it won't stop him from becoming a potential high end 2D. If he hits, he's Seth Jones.

Sam Dickinson: Of all the D in this group, I'd wager that Dickinson is the fastest skater. That plays into how Kyle Davidson wants to build this team, which is to be the fastest in the league. Does he have that next level to his game to reach 1D status? Maybe a low end one? If he hits, he's Shea Theodore.

Zayne Parekh: He's one of those double edge sword players where he goes all in on the offense first and foremost. You live and die by it. RHD and a power play boon which is a need for the Hawks. If he hits, he's Erik Karlsson. If he doesn't, he's Erik Gustafsson.

Zeev Buium: Dynamic defenseman that will grab your attention with his lateral movements, but he lacks high end speed. Processes the game at a high level. If he hits, he's Adam Fox.

 

[BHFAN92]

Just to be serious for once, I don't think there's a "wrong" choice to make at #2.

Obviously 5+ years from now when the fog clears, there will be a right and wrong choice. Hindsight is 50/50.

I have my favourites, but you can make the argument for any of Silayev, Iginla, Lindstrom, Demidov, Levshunov, Dickinson, Parekh, or Buium.

I don't think anyone else is really in the conversation. There are players on the fringes like Eiserman, Helenius, Yakemchuk, Sennecke, Catton, Connelly, but I think those start to really look like reaches if you take them at 2.

So let's look at what I see as the core 8, and what you might have if you hit.

Anton Silayev: Behemoth shutdown defenseman. With him and Vlasic on the same team, even Connor McDavid would fear our blueline. If he hits, you've got Zdeno Chara.

Tij Iginla: Power forward. Staggering rate of improvement. Very young for the draft. He's essentially an entire year younger than Demidov and others. Would look great on Bedard's wing. If he hits, you've got Jarome Iginla.

Cayden Lindstrom: Power forward. Has everything going for him, except health. I really can't assess the potential risk with Lindstrom. That's up to the Blackhawks medical staff to figure out. Would be a good fit on Bedard's wing. If he hits, you've got what Kirby Dach should have been. But if the injury history winds up being a long term problem, well then you've got Kirby Dach.

Ivan Demidov: Skill winger. High talent level. Can showboat and dangle his way onto highlight reels. Will all of it translate to the NHL? Unlikely. But he should still be a spectacle player to some extent. Straight line speed is kind of like Bedard's, which is fine, but I wonder if they're the best fit. You want to pair Bedard with guys that are ideally faster and bigger than he is. Demidov isn't either of those things. I don't have a comp for him, but if he hits he's a 1st line winger.

Artyom Levshunov: Very toolsy RHD. Does he think and process the game at a high enough level? I think that will keep him from ever being a 1D, but it won't stop him from becoming a potential high end 2D. If he hits, he's Seth Jones.

Sam Dickinson: Of all the D in this group, I'd wager that Dickinson is the fastest skater. That plays into how Kyle Davidson wants to build this team, which is to be the fastest in the league. Does he have that next level to his game to reach 1D status? Maybe a low end one? If he hits, he's Shea Theodore.

Zayne Parekh: He's one of those double edge sword players where he goes all in on the offense first and foremost. You live and die by it. RHD and a power play boon which is a need for the Hawks. If he hits, he's Erik Karlsson. If he doesn't, he's Erik Gustafsson.

Zeev Buium: Dynamic defenseman that will grab your attention with his lateral movements, but he lacks high end speed. Processes the game at a high level. If he hits, he's Adam Fox.

I think speed is a bigger must for KD on Forward and edges and lateral ability is more of his preference on D....If I am going straight off of KD's views its Iginla at F and Buium/Levshunov on D