This is the first in a three-part positional group series where we give takeaways from the Blackhawks’ prospect camp. First up will be the defensemen.
The Blackhawks are hoping they’ll finally end their drought of not being able to develop a top-four defensemen in their pipeline. Niklas Hjalmarsson, a fourth-round pick in the 2005 NHL draft, was their last drafted defenseman to earn a permanent place in the lineup. The Blackhawks have four players in 2018 first-rounders Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin, 2017 second-rounder Ian Mitchell and 2019 second-rounder Alex Vlasic who have top-four defensemen potential.