The Chicago Blackhawks have a handful of picks in the second and third rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft. These players are worth their attention.
The Chicago Blackhawks are no longer seen as a lock to be drafting in the top five. Anything can happen, but this young core is obsessed with winning hockey games. They will still be scouting potential top-32 picks in waves, as they have two first-round selections in the 2026 NHL Draft.
What about beyond that? The second and third rounds produce stars every year. Stanley Cups can be won or lost by being successful outside of the first round.
NHL Central Scouting revealed its list of players to watch and graded them based on what round they are projected to be selected in, based on their talent.
Five players that the Blackhawks brass must be watching, outside of the consensus top two picks (Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff), can be seen here:
5 Players For Blackhawks To Watch From NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary List
The Chicago Blackhawks will still be looking to make a smart draft pick in 2026. These five players from NHL Central Scouting's preliminary list are worth keeping an eye on early in the season.
The Blackhawks have three second-round picks and one third-round pick, which means there is potential to add even more significant depth to the organization, regardless of where they finish in the standings.
Based on the grades handed out by NHL Central Scouting, combined with team need, these are the five players that Kyle Davidson’s scouting staff must watch when thinking about the second and third rounds:
1. Braidy Wassikyn - F - Niagara IceDogs
Brady Wassikyn is a forward currently playing for the Niagara IceDogs. So far, he has two goals and one assist through four games, and is projected by Central Scouting to be either a second or third round pick in 2026.
After he is drafted, he will play at least one season at Boston University. Under Jay Pandolfo, he will learn a lot about what it takes to develop into a great hockey player. Winning is sure to be a part of his story there as well, as BU almost always makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
2. Michael Berchild - F - USNTDP
Michael Berchild is spending this season as a member of the United States National Team Development Program. We've seen a ton of great players come to the NHL from that organization, including Jack Hughes, Matt Boldy, Spencer Knight, and Cole Caufield, amongst others.
Berchild is likely to be a second or third-round pick, unlike those other players, but the talent is there for him to develop into a great producer. After his draft year, he will play in the NCAA with the University of Denver. Like BU, Denver has achieved a significant amount of success in recent years.
3. Jack Hextall - F - Youngstown Phantoms
Jack Hextall plays for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. He has six goals and five assists for 11 points in 11 games so far this year playing with the Phantoms.
Hextall will play for Michigan State in 2025-26, which will be a great place for him to get an education and attempt to become a pro hockey player.
4. Casey Mutryn - F - USNTDP
Like Michael Berchild, Casey Mutryn plays for the USNTDP. He is also working on becoming a great contributor who can be selected anywhere from pick 32-100. Central Scouting sees him as someone projected to go in the second or third round.
Once his draft year with The Program is complete, he will head off to play college hockey at Boston College. Few colleges have produced more high-end talent in recent years than BC. He'd love to follow in the footsteps of guys like Cutter Gauthier, Will Smith, Gabe Perreault, and Ryan Leonard.
He likely won't be drafted as high as those guys were, but that doesn't mean he can't develop at a similar clip if he puts the work in.
5. Cooper Williams - F - Saskatoon Blades
Cooper Williams, a forward, currently plays for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL. He had a good year in 2024-25 with 21 goals and 57 points in 68 games. Looking to build on that, Williams has four goals and six assists for 10 points in 11 games played so far this year.
Next year, Williams will play for the University of North Dakota, which is looking to get back on the rise in the college hockey ranks.
All of the players listed are forwards. The Blackhawks have Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, and Drew Commesso as young goalies in the system. They won't be drafting one very high any time soon. On defense, they are loaded. That doesn't mean they won't continue to add there, but the high-end talent should lean forward for a while.
Kyle Davidson has done an excellent job drafting since he took over as the full-time GM of the team, and this is his chance to continue with a very deep draft class.
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