2026 NHL Mock Draft: The Best Fits for the Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are guaranteed a top-four pick in the 2026 NHL draft. They hope this is the last season in which they will be in this territory. Connor Bedard will be 21 and entering his fourth NHL season and it's time for the Blackhawks to, if not make the playoffs, then at least compete.

Achieving that goal may depend on making the right call with this pick. There are at least two players in this draft class who could make an impact in the NHL right way. More importantly, the fit has to be right long-term. The Blackhawks have some exciting young pieces but this piece could be the difference. Again, it might be their last shot at adding a franchise cornerstone through the draft.

The options for Chicago to parse through will change depending on the lottery outcome. Let's take a look at the options likely to be available to the Blackhawks at each of the four possible picks and project what player may be the best option at each.

First Overall: Gavin McKenna

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Scouting Snapshot: A highly skilled offensive-zone operator on the left wing. Excellent hands, primarily a playmaker, but also with the capacity to score. The type of player who can and will create offense by himself. Undersized (5'11"), and he needs to add some skating burst, but McKenna has 100-point upside.

Organizational Fit: If one were to label the biggest need in the Blackhawks' organization, "a high-end winger" tops the list. The half-baked attempts to find Conor Bedard a partner through free agency—Tyler Bertuzzi, Andre Burakovsky, Teuvo Teravainen—have underwhelmed. He needs a truly talented, first-line caliber player by his side. McKenna is a match at least in terms of upside. The concept of McKenna, a potential high-end playmaker, setting up Bedard from the perimeter is galvanizing. And if he isn't a difference-maker right out of the gate in Chicago next season, I don't think it would take too long for him to get there.

Confidence in Pick Projection: I'm less sold on this one than I would be in most other situations. McKenna is the top player on my board and, at first overall, you take the best player. I do wonder if the Blackhawks would worry about McKenna being too similar to Bedard. Both are undersized players who demand the puck and who offer little-to-no defensive value. Would the organization prefer Ivar Stenberg, who should be a first-line producer but also offers a heavier, more complete game? Ultimately, I think the Blackhawks would decide to bet on talent and figure out a way to make it work. Even if that means splitting up McKenna and Bedard at even strength.

Second Overall: Ivar Stenberg

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Scouting Snapshot: A wonderful blend of skill and motor at left wing. Stenberg is under six feet tall, but his lower body strength is great, and bigger players have a tough time knocking him around. Strong puck-carrying abilities when driving north-south. A good playmaker from the perimeter, but also has the ability to carry the puck into the interior and score below the dots. All-Star upside as a 200-foot first-line winger.

Organizational Fit: Purely in terms of playing style, I think Stenberg is closer to what the Blackhawks would want to add. He has the skill to play a top role and keep up with Bedard but also has the motor, strength, and off-puck hockey sense to play a complete game. The Blackhawks' recent draft history suggests they prefer players with size but Stenberg plays bigger than his measurements.

Confidence in Pick Projection: It seems like a no-brainer to me. Stenberg is closer to first overall than third in this draft class and, while the Blackhawks have gone off the board before, the fit here makes too much sense. Their pick of Anton Frondell at third overall last season indicates they put value in players who perform in the professional ranks and Stenberg was a rare performer in the Swedish Elite League for Frölunda.

Third Overall: Chase Reid

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Scouting Snapshot: A right-handed defenseman, Reid is the best skater in the NHL draft. He's a demon carrying the puck up the ice. His crossovers are smooth and powerful. He covers a lot of ground defensively and already has some good instincts defending one-on-one. He gets very involved offensively. His shot is very good, and his vision is decent. At 6'2", he has shown signs of playing with an edge. Reid will need a lot of coaching to make his decision-making better and find more ways to solve problems than by trying to skate his way out of them, but his upside is massive. Development will determine whether it's a second-pairing defenseman or a No. 1 franchise cornerstone.

Organizational Fit: In an ideal world, the Blackhawks are adding a left-handed defenseman. Reid is a righty. I don't think that would be overly relevant at this point. As high as the Blackhawks are internally on Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, they've both had their share of struggles in the NHL and it would be a mistake to count their chickens before they hatch. If you end up with three fantastic RHD, that's a great problem to have.

Confidence in Projection: It's an educated guess based on a few criteria. While there is no real consensus at third overall, there are a number of Reid believers and his upside is undeniable. The Blackhawks' front office has put an emphasis on draft mobile defensemen with some size the last few seasons, and Reid is the best skater in the draft. In a lot of ways, he mirrors Sam Rinzel only better.

Fourth Overall: Caleb Malhotra

Scouting Snapshot: A 200-foot center with no real weaknesses to speak of. An exceptionally smart player who already does lots of little things at a professional level. Great defensive acumen and is so good at finding inside positioning both offensively and defensively. Not the go-to puck carrier, but he can hold his own, and he has above-average vision. Will put himself in scoring positions even if his shot isn't a big threat. His upside is as a low-end first-line center, and possibly a future captain whom coaches deploy in all situations.

Organizational Fit: This one really depends on your perspective. The Blackhawks are loaded with centers in the organization. Obviously, there's Bedard. Anton Frondell can play there, and Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, and Sacha Boisvert all should have NHL careers. But how reliable are those options for a true second-line center behind Bedard? Malhotra, I think, is a safer bet to get there than most of the names on this list. You can always move players to the wing (Nazar and Moore would thrive there) or, worst case, trade the surplus.

Confidence in Pick Projection: I wrestled with two other options here. Defenseman Keaton Verhoeff is the best player remaining on my board. I also wonder about Albert Šmits. He's a left-handed defenseman (clear organizational need) and has the skating attributes the Blackhawks like. But I think there's a good chance the Blackhawks will really like Malhotra. Bedard is a superstar in the making but he needs someone behind him to absorb tough minutes. Malhotra, if he hits his stride, fits the bill.

Bonus: A Trade?

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Robert Thomas

Top-four overall picks rarely get traded. It hasn't happened since 2002, when the Tampa Bay Lightning traded fourth overall to the Philadelphia Flyers for Ruslan Fedotenko and two second-round picks.

This looks like a rare opportunity where it may be remotely plausible. It's a wide-open draft after second overall and the Blackhawks already have the best prospect pool in the NHL. They also need to hit the ground running next season and compete for a playoff spot.

Would it make sense to trade the pick to St. Louis for center Robert Thomas, who would take a whole lot of pressure off of Bedard? How about if Brady Tkachuk if the Senators are forced to move on? He'd be far-and-away the best winger in Chicago and also add some gumption for a young team that needs it. There may also be other players who unexpectedly shake loose due to major frustration around the NHL from underperforming teams.

It's hard to imagine many teams beating the third-overall pick as a center piece for a blockbuster trade for a star player on the outs. It's worth at least thinking about.