Day 2 of the 2026 NHL Draft is off and running. Early in the second round, the Chicago Blackhawks banked two picks nice and early. 

First was pick 34, which the Blackhawks used to select defenseman Xavier Villeneuve of Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL. In 37 regular-season games with them, he scored 6 goals and had 32 assists for 38 points. 

Being a point-per-game defenseman in the QMJHL earned him a second-round selection, but there is more work to go for Villeneuve. As an undersized defenseman, he will have to work extra hard to make it to the highest level. 

He is a dynamic player who has a tremendous amount of confidence in his game. He compared himself to Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens, who is also an undersized defenseman who can put up big-time offensive numbers. 

Next season, Villenueve will attend Boston University, which is a great program when it comes to developing players who have high offensive ceilings. That doesn't only apply to defensemen, but Lane Hutson and his brothers have done great work there, which has allowed them to become NHL players. 

After making pick 34, the Blackhawks traded up to 35 with the New Jersey Devils. They traded up two spots from 37 and gave up pick 119 to do so. 

With that selection, the Blackhawks selected Ryan Roobroeck. He is a big 6'4", 216 lb center coming from the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL. 

In 49 games for the IceDogs in 2025-26, Roobroeck scored 30 goals and had 28 assists for 58 points. He sees himself as a big power forward who is going to score and create chaos on the ice. 

Roobroeck compares himself to Leon Draisaitl and Mikko Rantanen, who are the best versions of a power forward in the NHL. With the right development plan, he could become a top-six forward in the NHL due to his size and skill. 

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