Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The Blackhawks had a total of 8 draft picks over the 2 days of the 2021 NHL Draft. As the picks were made, you started to see a theme emerge in the players they selected. And it addressed a major organizational issue…two of them actually.
One of the biggest issues the ‘Hawks have had in recent seasons is their apparent lack of physicality, both upfront, and on defense. They have been drafting more offensive-minded defenders, such as Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, and Nicolas Beaudin). These players were billed as skilled puck movers who were solid enough as defenders to make up for their lack of size.