Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The 2024 NHL Draft lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 7, and the Chicago Blackhawks are looking to get some luck from the ping-pong balls for the second consecutive year.
Here's everything you need to know about the Blackhawks and where they stand going into it:
What are the Blackhawks' lottery odds?
The Blackhawks have the second-highest odds to land the No. 1 overall pick at 13.5%, and they are guaranteed a Top 4 pick. San Jose has the best odds at 25.5%.
Here's a breakdown of where the Blackhawks are favored to land:
Chicago Blackhawks
1. 13.5%
2. 14.1%
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3. 30.7%
4. 41.7%
Who is the consensus top pick?
Macklin Celebrini is the prized possession. In his freshman season at Boston University, he racked up 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games for a points-per-game average of 1.68, which ranked second in the nation. He became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in NCAA men's hockey.
A Bedard and Celebrini combo would give the Blackhawks a 1-2 punch up the middle for what the franchise hopes to be for the next decade and a half.
What happens if the Blackhawks win the lottery again?
Starting with the 2022 lottery, the NHL implemented a new rule that limits how many times a team can win the lottery. No team can advance in the draft order by reason of a lottery win more than twice in a five-year span, which means if the Blackhawks win the lottery again this year, they wouldn't be "eligible" to win again until 2028, unless they finish dead-last and win by default.
That's a good problem to have though if you're the Blackhawks, who are looking to take the next step in their rebuild and have no plans to be a lottery team moving forward.
If the Blackhawks don't win the lottery, who could be available for them inside the Top 4?
The Blackhawks are going to get a terrific player whether they win the lottery or not. This is a deep draft class, and there are quite a few quality players that will go in the first round.
A few players to monitor (names in alphabetical order) if the Blackhawks pick in the 2-4 range:
W/C Ivan Demidov
Demidov is a 5-foot-11, 180-pound left-shot winger who can also play center. He probably has the highest offensive ceiling of anyone in this draft class. He produced 60 points (23 goals, 37 assists) in 30 games this season for SKA-1946 of the Russian Junior Hockey League (MHL) despite missing almost two months with a knee injury. He added 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 17 postseason contests.
D Sam Dickinson
Dickinson is listed at 6-foot-3, 204 pounds and he's got all the tools to be a top-four left-shot defenseman who can play in all situations. He registered 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) in 68 regular-season games for the OHL's London Knights. His 52 assists and 70 points ranked fourth among all defensemen. He's also turning in a solid postseason with seven points (two goals, five assists) in 14 games.
LW Cole Eiserman
Eiserman is a 6-foot, 196-pound left-shot winger and is the best goal scorer of this draft class. He has 57 goals and 31 assists for 88 points in 56 games for the U.S. National Under-18 team. He also tallied 34 points (25 goals, nine assists) in 24 games for USNTDP. There are concerns, however, that he's too one-dimensional, so rounding out his game should be a priority for him as he looks to take the next step.
D Artyom Levshunov
Levshunov is listed at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds and projects to be a top-pairing defenseman in the NHL. He had a sensational freshman season at Michigan State, where he compiled 35 points (nine goals, 26 assists) in 38 games. He's a right-handed shot, too, which makes his package even more attractive.
C Cayden Lindstrom
Lindstrom is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound left-shot center who has all the makings to be a top-six forward in the NHL. He recorded 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) in 32 games this season for the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers. He missed a chunk of the season because of a wrist injury. His physicality is also something that stands out, along with his ability to impact the game at both ends of the ice.
D Anton Silayev
Silayev is a towering 6-foot-7, 211-pound Russian defenseman who can skate and play in all situations. He graduated to the KHL this season, where he posted 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 63 games, and added two assists in five postseason contests. His ceiling is extremely high.
