Chicago Blackhawks GM makes major hint at who they will draft

The talent pool in this year's draft is undeniable, with everyone vying for the likely number one pick Macklin Cellebrini of Boston University. The Chicago Blackhawks likely just missed the cutoff, taking the second overall draft pick to the San Jose Sharks.

Yet, despite the near-certain availability of Ivan Demidov, it seems that Chicago will be going in a different direction. During a recent interview on the Coming In Hot podcast, Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson revealed that in a recent meeting with GM Kyle Davidson, the team is looking further down the line for more defensive players. This includes Artyom Levshunov, Anton Silayev, and Sam Dickinson.

Ivan Demidov has performed at a very high level in Russian junior leagues, but it is clear by this year's regular season that Chicago needs to focus on their defensive strategy. However, the team has now pulled in eight total draft picks, including the 18th overall spot. As a result, the Blackhawks may rely on their later draft picks to fill in their defensive line.

The 2024 NHL draft will be held at The Sphere in Las Vegas in just over a month. With these additional developments, it will undoubtedly be fascinating to see how the Chicago Blackhawks shake out.