The Chicago Blackhawks decided the time to strike for a veteran difference-maker was now when they traded for Buffalo Sabers defenseman Bowen Byrum. He should be an immediate help for one of the weakest areas of the team’s roster, bolstering their defense while being a massive upgrade to their power play. Unfortunately, it required the 4th overall pick to pull off, which meant the Blackhawks would have to wait until the 2nd round before they could hopefully add more young talent to their pipeline.
It appears the message is clear from general manager Kyle Davidson. No more playing it safe. That was true with the trade for Byrum, and it seems to have carried over into the 2nd round of the draft. Chicago held the 34th and 37th picks, which gave them a shot at some prominent talents. They didn’t disappoint. With their first of the two picks, Davidson grabbed the hottest name on Blackhawks Twitter (X): QMJHL defenseman Xavier Villeneuve. Then the Blackhawks turned around immediately and traded up from 37th to 35th, where they grabbed OHL winger Ryan Roobroeck.
The Chicago Blackhawks swung for the fences.
It isn’t hard to find the appeal of Villeneuve. Just watching his tape for a handful of minutes and you immediately start noticing the blazing speed and excellent passing ability. His dynamic shiftiness allows him to apply pressure as an offensive defenseman, and he’s particularly dangerous on the power play. Most agree if he were taller than 5’10” and not left-handed, he would’ve been a 1st round pick. He finished with 38 points in 37 games of his final season while adding six goals and eight assists in 17 playoff games.
In stark contrast, you have Roobroeck. He is a massive human being at 6’4″, 216 lbs. Teams fear him for his elite puck release and devastating power shot. He’ll play physical in front of the net, giving defenses and goalies all sorts of problems. He’s also deceptive and great at protecting the puck. Roobroeck was on track to be a top 10 pick last year. Unfortunately, an injury shortened his last season in the OHL. That said, he still had 30 goals and 28 assists in 49 games.
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The upside of both players is massive.
We’re talking All-Star-level stuff. That is how great they look when playing their best. So what is the one thing holding these guys back? Some experts have reservations about the consistency of their competitiveness. Roobroeck is hounded by questions of his effort level. The discourse on Villeneuve is more mixed. Many see plenty of intensity from the young defenseman. Others don’t. One thing that isn’t disputed is their skill. Both players have the tools to be difference-makers at the NHL level.
Without a 1st round pick, the Chicago Blackhawks felt they needed to take a calculated risk to add more juice to their pipeline. They certainly succeeded. Both of these guys fill key voids in their roster. It isn’t clear how long either will take to reach the show. Much will depend on how they handle the minors. They’re only 18 years old. If they break through quickly, that will be a clear sign the Hawks are onto something.
