Who should the Chicago Blackhawks select 2nd overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft?

[TLEH]

Zero GMs are deciding who they pick at two based on the prospects at the 25 draft. There is a whole season to be played. For the prospects, for your team. I mean be serious.

 

[belfour30]

If he picked Korchinski at seven because he was afraid of the 23 draft he should be fired immediately.

He wasn't afraid of the 23 draft, he said he was being strategic because of the players available. The 23 draft was forward heavy at the top. KD literally said this after the 22 draft.

 

[Taze em]

Congrats, you just picked Kyle Turris over Patrick Kane

No I didn’t.

 

[TLEH]

You can just say you like Levshunov rather than some wild scenario that we are discussing the top of the 2025 draft before the 2024 one has happened and that is going to drive strategy.

 

[Taze em]

You can just say you like Levshunov rather than some wild scenario that we are discussing the top of the 2025 draft before the 2024 one has happened and that is going to drive strategy.

Here’s the thing. I’m literally trying to figure out who they’re going to draft. The hawks have one scout in Russia. He just brought them kantserov so he probably has some credibility right now. But like it or not the Hawks have stayed local for a ton of draft picks lately.

I’m not going to pretend to be able to split the hair that separates the two. The FO loves big 2 way D that can skate. He’s in their backyard. It’s much closer to 50/50 who we take. Right now before the Goldstar combine I bet they’re picking levshunov until they see with their own eyes the knee is clean. Then they’ll have a crazy debate in the room that’s probably 50/50

 

[Taze em]

Put it simply you have to have a lot of conviction that Demidov is absolutely better than Levshunov because, obviously, if it’s a tie you’re picking by position and it’s Drago at RHD

 

[Kevin Musto]

The FO loves big 2 way D that can skate.

Same goes for Silayev and Dickinson

It's not like Lev is the only one that fits the mold

 

[TLEH]

Here’s the thing. I’m literally trying to figure out who they’re going to draft. The hawks have one scout in Russia. He just brought them kantserov so he probably has some credibility right now. But like it or not the Hawks have stayed local for a ton of draft picks lately.

I’m not going to pretend to be able to split the hair that separates the two. The FO loves big 2 way D that can skate. He’s in their backyard. It’s much closer to 50/50 who we take. Right now before the Goldstar combine I bet they’re picking levshunov until they see with their own eyes the knee is clean. Then they’ll have a crazy debate in the room that’s probably 50/50

I'm arguing that it has nothing to do with the 2025 draft. Whatever you think about Lev is your thoughts. Not my argument.

If you're asking me who I think they'll pick right now I would guess Levshunov because KD has been risk averse in his contracts, in his drafts, etc.

 

[Taze em]

I'm arguing that it has nothing to do with the 2025 draft. Whatever you think about Lev is your thoughts. Not my argument.

Korchinski was picked with eyes forward on D class. Rinzel they picked because they already had 2 1sts in the bag so they wanted a lottery ticket. Gajan. They’ve brought outside factors in plenty of times before.

You don’t have to like it but it’s a small secondary factor to consider when it’s this close.

 

[TLEH]

Korchinski was picked with eyes forward on D class. Rinzel they picked because they already had 2 1sts in the bag so they wanted a lottery ticket. Gajan. They’ve brought outside factors in plenty of times before.

You don’t have to like it but it’s a small secondary factor to consider when it’s this close.

You don't know why Korchinski was picked. Rinzel being picked for a lottery ticket doesn't have anything to do with the next draft. Gajan? What does that mean?

 

[bwanajamba]

No I didn’t.

It's an extreme example but that's what your "day-one stuff" would have led to in 2007. It was a real debate.

The day-one stuff is don't reach for position at the top of the draft. The hit rate on top 10 D is not pretty. I even like Levshunov a lot and will get it if they take him. But I think Demidov is BPA and if you want to get into need, Demidov is something the system lacks to a much greater extent than Levshunov is.

 

[JaegerDice]

Levshunov of Parehk.

I'd rather go for an elite Dman than an elite winger, regardless of the Russian factor.

If we find ourselves in the unbelievably fortunate position of too many great Dmen in the pipeline, then you sell one of the prospects for a position of need. And Dmen are waaaaaaaaay more valuable on the trade market than wingers.

 

[Kevin Musto]

But I think Demidov is BPA and if you want to get into need, Demidov is something the system lacks to a much greater extent than Levshunov is.

I don't think you can play the "need" card for Demidov.

His play style doesn't fit Bedard. If you draft Demidov, they probably play on separate lines.

 

[Taze em]

It's an extreme example but that's what your "day-one stuff" would have led to in 2007. It was a real debate.

The day-one stuff is don't reach for position at the top of the draft. The hit rate on top 10 D is not pretty. I even like Levshunov a lot and will get it if they take him. But I think Demidov is BPA and if you want to get into need, Demidov is something the system lacks to a much greater extent than Levshunov is.

No one is reaching for position. The position fell in our laps. Accept the gift from the hockey gods.

Btw the hit rate on D might be lower. Wanna bet everything on Seth Jones and Sam Rinzel? Having more chances at finding dudes is a feature not a bug.

 

[bwanajamba]

I don't think you can play the "need" card for Demidov.

His play style doesn't fit Bedard. If you draft Demidov, they probably play on separate lines.

Would be completely fine by me if that's how it turned out. The point is that they don't have another gamebreaking talent after Bedard, line combos aren't part of the calculus at this stage

 

[bwanajamba]

No one is reaching for position. The position fell in our laps. Accept the gift from the hockey gods.

Btw the hit rate on D might be lower. Wanna bet everything on Seth Jones and Sam Rinzel? Having more chances at finding dudes is a feature not a bug.

Well I guess this is an agree to disagree situation on what the gift is at #2. I'll be happy with either guy but I really hope the decision comes down to talent evaluation and nothing else.

 

[Taze em]

I don't think you can play the "need" card for Demidov.

His play style doesn't fit Bedard. If you draft Demidov, they probably play on separate lines.

This is also true. If all goes well bedard will only need something stupid easy like kurashev and Colton Dach to put up 100+ and 80 each for the wings on his coattails. You can invest all your dough in to a second line. But… it would be nice to have Malkin to the Crosby or Draisaitl to the McDavid, can’t lie about that.

 

[belfour30]

You don't know why Korchinski was picked. Rinzel being picked for a lottery ticket doesn't have anything to do with the next draft. Gajan? What does that mean?

KD literally said they picked Korchinski and Rinzel because the 23 draft was forward heavy.

Go back to his pressers in 22 and he said it out loud.

I don't think you can play the "need" card for Demidov.

His play style doesn't fit Bedard. If you draft Demidov, they probably play on separate lines.

Yes you can play the need card for Demidov. The Hawks have no high end forward prospects outside of Bedard and Nazar/Moore are not guaranteed top 6ers.

I have been a Levshunov fan all season but I think the bigger organizational need is for high end forwards. Bedard alone is not enough.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Seems pretty easy to me. Pick the most talented guy. You figure the rest of the shit like size out later when you’re close to competing.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Yes you can play the need card for Demidov. The Hawks have no high end forward prospects outside of Bedard and Nazar/Moore are not guaranteed top 6ers.

Nazar is a guaranteed top 6er. That's a ridiculous thing to say. If they were in the same draft class, I'm ranking Nazar pretty similarly to Demidov. Like maybe a couple spots behind him.

There's like an 80% chance Moore is a top 6er.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I believe in considering need even if others don’t.

I don’t believe in considering “next year’s draft” which can change and depends on uncertain factors.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Seems pretty easy to me. Pick the most talented guy.

Not that easy when there's like 8 players at practically the same talent level.

 

[TLEH]

KD literally said they picked Korchinski and Rinzel because the 23 draft was forward heavy.

Go back to his pressers in 22 and he said it out loud.

Link me it.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Levshunov of Parehk.

I'd rather go for an elite Dman than an elite winger, regardless of the Russian factor.

If we find ourselves in the unbelievably fortunate position of too many great Dmen in the pipeline, then you sell one of the prospects for a position of need. And Dmen are waaaaaaaaay more valuable on the trade market than wingers.

Prime middle 3 DMen could be had for like a second round pick every year.

D are not as valuable as you make it appear unless they are a true number one. For one, they don’t hit their prime often until a couple years into their UFA years. Those that lean defending are not separated too heavily across the league. And only one D is a powerplay 1 guy these days with 4F/1D setups.

Look around the league at middle three defensemen, how many were that difficult to acquire via trade, UFA signing or even draft position? Top line forwards generally require more draft positioning to acquire or big time trades that kind of require an element of lucky timing to even appear on the market.

 

[Taze em]

The 100th most productive forward this year was Michael Bunting and he had 55 points.

Bedard, Moore, Nazar, pick 20, 2025 top 10, Reichel, 33M in cap space, Kantserov, Lardis, Dach, I mean you’ll find 6 more likely 9. And oh BTW in the process you have a 2010s Nashville D Corps in theory.

Just think of Taze Ems dream Hawks as the 2010s Predators but add Connor McDavid and a couple other cool forwards to the team.