A handful of teams that Chicago Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson has recently drafted from have more top prospects available in 2026.
The Chicago Blackhawks are going to make the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft unless they trade it away. Available to them with this selection is a handful of really good players who have the ceiling of high-end NHL players.
The board is filled with players who come from teams that the Blackhawks have drafted from in the recent past under Kyle Davidson. Whether it is NCAA programs like Boston University, North Dakota, or Michigan State, amongst others, or a major junior Canadian Hockey League team like the Brantford Bulldogs, or even an SHL squad like Djurgardens, there is a lot of familiarity within the Blackhawks organization.
Kyle Davidson, after learning the results of the draft lottery, admitted that this won’t impact any decisions when it comes to whom they want in the draft, but it does help increase the amount of information that they have on players if they come from a place where there has been an olive branch in the past.
"Maybe you have a little more comfort," Kyle Davidson said of drafting from teams that he has had success drafting from recently. "There are players in the top-20 that have played for teams that we've drafted from in the past. There is a little bit of additional information. You can get a little bit of an inside look and a more detailed character reference. I don't think that is going to push us one way or another. It might give us more clarity, but it wouldn't be a case where they're going to rise up the rankings because of that, but you feel a little more confident in the information you're getting."
It makes sense. They have had recent prospects in certain places before, which means there is already a direct line of communication. If Davidson wants to learn something about certain players, his current network already reaches a lot of their teams.
Davidson and the Blackhawks are going to get a good player if they use the fourth overall pick, whether they are familiar with his team or not. They are going to be open-minded when it comes to all options with the pick, whether or not they trade it, and what position they draft if they do.
"We're best player available," Davidson said when asked if he'd select any type of skater. "We're just gonna take the best player and figure out the reserve list after that. It's all about accumulating talent. I'm excited to get in a room with our amateur scouts next week and figure out who they like."
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