The Blackhawks are in an interesting spot right now-somewhere between a team still rebuilding and one that’s starting to show flashes of real potential. While they’re not exactly gearing up for a deep playoff run just yet, there’s a quiet sense of progress in Chicago.
Heading into the Olympic break, they sit within 10 points of a wild-card spot. That’s not nothing, especially considering the youth movement still finding its footing.
But they’ve also dropped six of their last seven, which, oddly enough, might help them in the long run.
Why? Because a slide in the standings could boost their odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft-a pick that could turn into Gavin McKenna, the highly touted prospect with ties to Connor Bedard. Right now, the Blackhawks own the sixth-fewest points in the league, positioning themselves squarely in the conversation for a top draft slot.
But here’s where things get a little more layered.
Last March, Chicago made a bold move, trading defenseman Seth Jones to the Panthers in exchange for goaltender Spencer Knight and Florida’s 2026 first-round pick. At the time, it looked like a savvy play.
The Panthers were banged up-Aleksander Barkov was out, and Jones himself missed time after the trade. Florida stumbled through the season and currently sits 22nd in the league standings.
That opened up the tantalizing possibility that Chicago might end up with two top-10 picks in this year’s draft.
That excitement hit a speed bump on Friday.
Frank Seravalli posted the latest draft lottery odds, listing Florida in the 10th slot-and then dropped a detail that hadn’t been reported before: the Panthers’ pick is top-10 protected. That was news to just about everyone. Up until now, the only known condition was that if Florida still held its 2026 first-rounder when the 2025 draft began, it would transfer to Chicago.
Later in the day, the Blackhawks confirmed it: if Florida’s pick lands in the top 10, Chicago won’t get it this year. Instead, they’ll receive the Panthers’ 2027 first-rounder, which comes with no protections.
That’s a crucial wrinkle. The Bruins currently hold Florida’s 2027 pick, so if the protection kicks in, that selection would slide to 2028.
It’s a twist that changes the rooting calculus for Blackhawks fans. Instead of hoping the Panthers bottom out, the better outcome now might be for Florida to land just outside the top 10-say, 11th overall. That would trigger the pick transfer to Chicago this summer, giving them another crack at a blue-chip prospect in what’s shaping up to be a very strong draft class.
Still, even if that pick doesn’t convey until 2027, the trade already looks like a win for Chicago. Spencer Knight has the makings of a long-term answer in net, and that alone gives the Blackhawks a foundational piece to build around.
The rest? That’s just bonus material.
For a team still climbing out of a rebuild, every asset matters. And while the draft pick situation just got a bit murkier, the Blackhawks are playing the long game-and playing it pretty well.