The Chicago Blackhawks could wind up with a huge haul in the 2027 NHL Draft, and the most valuable piece might come from a place nobody expected when the Seth Jones trade was made: Florida.
That deal included a conditional 2026 first-round pick, but Chicago couldn’t use it in 2026 because it was top-10 protected. Back then, it didn’t feel like much of a concern. After all, the Panthers had just won back-to-back Stanley Cups, and the idea of them missing the playoffs seemed remote.
Then Florida missed the playoffs and landed the ninth-overall pick, which activated the condition and left the Blackhawks without that selection.
That might still end up working in Chicago’s favor.
A lot of people are expecting the Panthers to bounce right back into contender mode. But there’s a case to be made that Florida isn’t any closer to another Stanley Cup than it was at the start of last season.
If anything, last season may have been a warning sign about what’s ahead. Should that slide continue, Chicago could be staring at another premium Panthers pick in 2027 - and a top-five selection would not be out of the question.
The Panthers’ 2026-27 season really does look like it could break in two different directions.
On one side, Florida gets a full summer to rest, the veteran core comes back healthy, Aleksander Barkov returns to elite form after missing an entire season with a knee injury, and Jacob Markstrom finds the game the Panthers need from him to stay on top.
On the other, the team simply runs out of gas. The offseason losses could expose how beat up the roster has become, Markstrom could fall short of what Florida needs, and the Panthers may discover they can’t carry that load through an 84-game season.
If that second path is the one that shows up, Florida could be headed for a long year. And because the 2027 Panthers pick is unprotected, the Blackhawks would be in position to cash in.
Chicago’s draft outlook in 2027 already looks loaded. The Blackhawks are set to have three first-round picks that year: their own, the Panthers’ pick, and the Edmonton Oilers’ first-rounder.
There is one wrinkle. The pick Chicago got in the Jason Dickinson deal at last season’s trade deadline is top-12 protected, which suggests the Oilers may already be bracing for a season that could go sideways. If that happens, the Blackhawks might not get that one until 2028.
Even so, Chicago could be sitting on a pile of draft capital by the time the 2027 NHL trade deadline arrives. And if the Blackhawks are better by then, that deadline could turn into one of the most intriguing ones their fans have seen in a long time.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Suddenly Face A Big Penalty Kill Debate
The Blackhawks head into the offseason with one of those quiet questions that can turn loud in a hurry: what happens to a penalty kill that was among the leagues best a year ago after several of its most important pieces are gone? Chicago still has reasons to feel encouraged after finishing last season second in the NHL on the kill, but the units success was built on more than one player, and the roster looks different now after the departures of Jason Dickinson, Connor Murphy, Ilya Mikheyev and Louis Crevier.
The organization has tried to patch things over with additions such as Ian Cole, Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway, but replacing the chemistry and reliable minutes from that short-handed group is never simple. The expectation around the league is that the penalty kill will slip some in the 2026-27 season, and for a Blackhawks team trying to keep building momentum, even a modest drop could matter in a big way when the margins tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Roman Kantserov Could Change How Dangerous The Blackhawks Offense Looks
Roman Kantserov is still waiting on his NHL debut, but the Blackhawks already sound ready to give him a serious runway when he arrives in 2026-27. The 21-year-old forward has built his case overseas as a high-end scorer, and Chicago views him as more than just another young name in the pipeline. General manager Kyle Davidson has pointed to Kantserov as a player who can add real offense, which matters for a club trying to make the most of its emerging core.
The fit is what makes the possibility especially intriguing. Chicago has already started imagining how Kantserov could slot into the lineup around Connor Bedard, with Patrick Kane also part of the offensive picture, and that kind of support could ease the transition for a player coming from the KHL. Kantserov has acknowledged the chance to learn alongside established talent while adjusting to the NHL, but the bigger question is how quickly he can turn that promise into production once he gets to Chicago. [Read more 🡒]
Ian Cole Gives Blackhawks Fans One More Reason To Watch Early
The Blackhawks added Ian Cole on a one-year deal with a clear purpose in mind: steady the blue line and give a young defensive group a veteran they can lean on. Chicagos front office has pointed to his durability and experience as part of the appeal, and Cole arrives with the kind of resume that usually matters most on a team still sorting out its future. For a club trying to build structure while developing talent, a seasoned defenseman can be just as important off the ice as he is in his own end.
Cole also comes with a nearby career milestone that will be worth keeping an eye on as the season opens. He is on the doorstep of 1,000 NHL games, a marker that speaks to longevity, health and a role that has kept him in demand for years. It gives Blackhawks fans one more early-season reason to follow along, even as the bigger questions about how this defense settles in will take longer to answer. [Read more 🡒]