The Chicago Blackhawks mainly operated according to plan in the 1st round. They took the best player on the board at #3 overall, landing Swedish standout Anton Frondell. Then they opted for a big, physical presence with the 25th pick, selecting Vaclav Nestrasil. Everybody thought they were done for the day. It was a productive evening that added more talent to their already deep farm system. However, it appears GM Kyle Davidson had a curveball waiting behind his back. He swung a trade with Carolina to move up from #34 to #29, grabbing big forward Mason West.
This was a genuine surprise. The Minnesota native hasn’t even graduated from high school yet. He has another year to go and plans to attend Michigan State afterward. Why would Davidson trade up to get him in the 1st round? Chicago’s GM was asked that very question shortly after the pick took place. He didn’t shy away from being honest. Davidson admitted that West was such a unique physical specimen that he couldn’t in good conscience not take a shot in the dark. Risks be damned.
Kyle Davidson clearly sees a potential star in West.
It isn’t hard to see why. At 6’6 “and 220 lbs, the kid is an excellent skater. His passing is advanced for somebody his age. Never mind the fact that he’s not even playing hockey full-time because of his football commitments. Most believe he will eventually focus on hockey, hence why he’s attending one of the best programs in the country. If he blossoms as many believe he can, the Blackhawks will look like geniuses for locking up his rights when they did. It would be the equivalent of Boston drafting Larry Bird a year before he went pro in the NBA. If you think somebody will be a star, draft him whenever possible. Kyle Davidson understood that mentality. Chicago had the assets to burn. There was no excuse not to try.
