The Chicago Blackhawks no longer hold a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. They traded the 4th overall pick to the Buffalo Sabres earlier in the week as part of a deal to acquire Bowen Byram.
That doesn’t make the first round irrelevant for them, however, as there are still plenty of reasons to stay locked in. For one, there has to be knowledge about where other top prospects are going around the league.
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Also, Kyle Davidson has traded into the first round every single year that he’s been the GM of the Blackhawks.
The opening round will take place on Friday night. The rest of the draft will be on Saturday morning into the afternoon.
Over the course of the event, which takes place at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, the Blackhawks have picks 34, 37, 66, 119, 194, and 200. Despite not being first-rounders, these are all lottery tickets that could turn into regular NHL players with good development. With a little bit of luck, they could be more than just regular NHL players.
More Trades
There are plenty of trade conversations taking place around the league. The Chicago Blackhawks, according to multiple reports, have a seat at the table for a lot of these players on the market, including Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson.
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Over the course of the entire draft, these trade possibilities are ones to monitor. If the Blackhawks are serious about continuing to build a winning team, making bold moves is a must.
How To Watch
For people in the United States, the 1st round can be seen on ESPN and ESPN+. It begins on Friday at 6:00 PM CT. Rounds 2-7 can be seen on NHL Network or ESPN+, beginning at 11 AM CT. In Canada, Round 1 is on Sportsnet while the rest is on Sportsnet+.
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