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Why Brian Baldinger Says Bears Will Lament Not Trading Up For One Particular EDGE

By
Erik Lambert
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brian baldinger
Nov 1, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Gabe Jacas (17) celebrates his sack on Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears feel they approached the 2026 NFL draft the right way. While they weren’t able to address all of their needs as many had hoped, they still believe they landed some really good football players. The heart of the debate centers on the edge rusher position. Despite widespread belief that it was one of their biggest issues, the Bears made zero notable additions in free agency or the draft. Some wonder if they should’ve been more aggressive. Brian Baldinger is one of them.

The former NFL offensive lineman and longtime analyst was asked about the decision during an appearance on 104.3 The Score. He admitted that he was surprised the Bears weren’t more aggressive in pursuing Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas, who he felt was a great fit for them.

Jacas ended up going 55th overall in the 2nd round, two spots before the Bears. New England traded up from the bottom of the round to get him. He was highly productive for Illinois the past two seasons, collecting 19.5 sacks and 26.5 tackles for a loss. His 6’3″, 260 lbs frame seemed to fit Dennis Allen’s preferred measurables as well.

Brian Baldinger isn’t wrong, but neither were the Bears.

There is no question that Jacas would’ve been an obvious choice for them had he fallen to #57. He would’ve made for the perfect third option alongside Montez Sweat and Austin Booker. That would’ve enabled the Bears to no longer rely on Dayo Odeyingbo or Shemar Turner, both of whom are coming off season-ending injuries. Still, the decision not to trade up isn’t surprising. For one, general manager Ryan Poles just didn’t have the ammunition. Chicago only had seven picks going into this draft. He’d flipped a future 5th round pick to the Patriots for veteran center Garrett Bradbury after Drew Dalman abruptly retired.

Unless they were certain Jacas would be a difference-maker, moving up even a few spots could’ve proven costly to the team’s long-term outlook. That is before even mentioning how they handled the situation after he went off the board. They pivoted to take Iowa offensive lineman Logan Jones, who most experts believed was the best center in the draft. So while the Bears hadn’t been able to land pass-rush help, they did lock down the middle of their offensive line, ensuring their quarterback’s safety.

Missing out on Jacas was just typical draft luck.

Poles stated that sitting towards the bottom of every round makes it difficult for teams to land players at preferred positions. It means he either has to get aggressive trading up or play the board as it falls. Given the lack of resources available, the Bears chose the latter. Brian Baldinger made a valid point. Jacas would’ve been a strong addition to the team. Circumstances just didn’t allow it. The Bears still feel they did enough to help the defense get better this offseason, and they aren’t wrong.

Coby Bryant and 1st round pick Dillon Thieneman give them tons of versatility on the back end. Devin Bush adds more speed at linebacker. Neville Gallimore and 6th round pick Jordan Van Den Berg add badly needed explosiveness to their interior pass rush. Malik Muhammad, their 4th round pick, adds quality competition at cornerback. If those players step up and others can stay healthy, this defense may surprise some people next season. Ideal? No, but at least a logical approach.

Why Cortez Hankton Likely Swayed The Bears To Gamble On Zavion Thomas

By
Erik Lambert
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cortez hankton
Cortez Hankton, LSU Wide Reciever Coach. Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025.

Zavion Thomas was definitely the biggest risk the Chicago Bears took in the 2026 NFL draft. The wide receiver failed to produce a standout season in two years at LSU. Yet the team still felt comfortable taking him in the 3rd round. Why? Part of it was his standout ability as a returner. That is something the Bears lost when Devin Duvernay left in free agency. Another part was his speed. Not many guys run a 4.28. However, another factor likely convinced the organization that Thomas was worth the risk. His name is Cortez Hankton.

Most people probably don’t recognize the name. Hankton is a former NFL wide receiver who bounced around the league for a few years. He then finished things up in the first iteration of the UFL. A year after retiring, he became a wide receivers coach at Dartmouth. It didn’t take long for bigger programs to catch wind of his ability. He spent three years at Vanderbilt before getting the call to go to Georgia. There, he helped them win a national championship in 2021. That success saw LSU lure him back home to Louisiana. In the past seven years, Hankton has earned a reputation for developing several future NFL standout receivers.

PlayerSchoolDraft YearRound (Pick)NFL Team
Malik NabersLSU20241st (6)New York Giants
Brian Thomas Jr.LSU20241st (23)Jacksonville Jaguars
Ladd McConkeyGeorgia20242nd (34)Los Angeles Chargers
George PickensGeorgia20222nd (52)Pittsburgh Steelers
Mecole HardmanGeorgia20192nd (56)Kansas City Chiefs
Arian SmithGeorgia20254th (118)New York Jets
Riley RidleyGeorgia20194th (126)Chicago Bears
Terry GodwinGeorgia20197th (237)Carolina Panthers

When you hear about Cortez Hankton, things start making sense.

In listening to how wide receivers talk about him, they describe a guy who coaches with relentless intent. He’s hard on players, making sure they are always on top of their details. There are no shortcuts. At the same time, he doesn’t operate like a big-headed boss. Players are allowed to contact him whenever they want. No questions are off limits. He also supports them whenever they have issues away from the field.

If that sounds familiar, it is because that description also fits Bears head coach Ben Johnson. He probably saw the finer details of how Thomas operated as a receiver and recognized the potential. The Bears’ rookie even admitted Hankton had a massive impact on his progress in just one year.

“Compared to my junior year to my senior year, he turned me into a whole different receiver.”

People forget this isn’t the first time somebody gambled on one of his pupils who didn’t have an overly productive college career. Hardman never had more than 540 yards in a season for Georgia. Yet Kansas City still took him in the 2nd round in 2019. He had three solid seasons for the Chiefs to start his career, helping them win the Super Bowl as a rookie and again in 2022. Thomas is the exact same size and actually a bit faster. If Hardman could do it, why can’t he?

If nothing else, we know Thomas is prepared.

This isn’t a kid coming into the NFL completely blind. That is a common problem for many young receivers these days. Most of them dominated college football thanks to a mixture of pass-heavy offenses and sheer athletic talent. Not enough programs put in the effort to teach kids how to play the position like a professional. Cortez Hankton is different. He goes out of his way to prepare young men not just to win games, but to give themselves the best possible chance to succeed at the highest level.

Prominent draft experts even admitted Thomas had made significant progress as a route-runner in 2025. Here is a snippet of what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote about him.

“Late leverage pushes coverage out of his downfield break. Sharp snap at the top of his comeback routes.”

It is possible that Thomas’s evolution was already underway. He was just plagued by misfortune around him. Starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier missed a month of action with injuries. Head coach Brian Kelly was fired midseason. There was zero continuity around him, and when that happens, it is difficult to produce. Still, the Bears saw enough to feel there was untapped potential. No doubt Hankton’s influence played a big part.

White Sox Add Veteran Arm With High Swing-and-Miss Potential To Bullpen

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Trevor Richards throws to the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on July 23, 2025.

The Chicago White Sox added an intriguing arm to the mix on Tuesday, acquiring right-hander Trevor Richards from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations. 

In a corresponding move, the White Sox placed Drew Thorpe on the 60-day injured list. The designation comes as little surprise after he underwent Tommy John surgery last season. Because the move is retroactive to the start of the year, a return before the end of the season remains possible, though the team has not provided a timeline.

Richards could provide the White Sox bullpen a much-needed boost. Despite tinkering with a sinker and slider in recent years, he primarily leans on a fastball-changeup combo. Despite his fastball sitting in the low 90s, Richards has proved he can miss bats. Unfortunately, he often misses the strike zone as well. 

While he has struck out hitters at a 25% clip over the course of his career, he has yet to find a consistent role in the big leagues, largely due to command issues, reflected in a career 10% walk rate. 

After signing a minor-league deal with the Phillies, Richards is off to a dominant start to the 2026 season, averaging more than 16 strikeouts per nine innings in Triple-A after fanning 26 of the 50 batters he faced. During that stretch, he posted a 1.93 ERA while holding opponents to a .106 average over 14 innings with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, earning a call-up to the majors, where he has allowed just one run across his first four innings.

That body of work was clearly enough to pique the interest of a White Sox team in need of bullpen arms. Despite his strong start to the year, the Phillies were set to bump Richards from the roster to make room for Jhoan Duran, who was set to return from a stint on the injured list due to an oblique strain. Because Duran has nine seasons of MLB experience, the Phillies needed his consent to option him to the minors, but avoided losing him for nothing by striking a deal with the White Sox.  

The White Sox will mark Richards ninth different team since making his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins in 2018. The 32-year-old Aviston, Illinois native began his career as a starter, but was converted to a full-time reliever in 2021. 

After joining the Blue Jays in 2021, he posted a 4.75 ERA in his four seasons in Toronto, despite averaging 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Things continued to trend in the wrong direction for Richards after he was traded to the Minnesota Twins before the 2024 trade deadline. Upon joining the Twins, Richards logged just 13 innings, walking 13 and hitting two of the 59 hitters he faced before being released. 

Since then, Richards has bounced between minor-league stints with the Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies organizations.

Bulls Plot Bold Raid On Boston Celtics: Why Dave Lewin Is Their Next Big Target

By
Erik Lambert
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dave lewin
Dave Lewin celebrates with the Larry O'Brien trophy after the Boston Celtics win the 2024 NBA championship.

The Chicago Bulls went through the process, conducted their interviews, and eventually reached the point where they had to make a decision. Michael Reinsdorf didn’t have it easy. Every candidate for the team’s VP of Basketball Operations position was impressive. All interviewed well. All had strong backgrounds. However, Bryson Graham stood out for both his eye for talent and his clear plan to modernize the Bulls’ front office. A crucial first step in that effort for him and Reinsdorf? Find a way to convince Dave Lewin to come on board.

In 2012, he was hired by the Boston Celtics as their scouting coordinator. Just one year later, Lewin was promoted to General Manager of Basketball Operations. By 2023, he’d risen to assistant general manager, a position he’s held ever since. His fingerprints are all over the 2024 championship team. There is no question he’s a rising star in the NBA. So why are the Bulls so desperate to get him? According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, it is because he can help the organization finally embrace the modern side of scouting with analytics.

A person who could help Graham and that process along? Well, the Bulls already interviewed him as well. While Boston Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin did not get the Bulls’ EVP job, that doesn’t mean the Bulls are done pursuing him. There will be a push to get him in the front office, and if not him, “we need to find someone very much like Dave Lewin.”

That’s how impressive his presentation was from an analytics and strategy standpoint.

Luring Dave Lewin away will be difficult.

He’s been in Boston for over a decade. That is his home. Still, his chances of upward mobility are slowing. Brad Stevens isn’t going anywhere as the team’s top basketball executive. He’s only 49 years old and holds absolute power in that organization. If Lewin wants to get out from under his shadow, he may have to leave. Besides, it’s not like there is much else for him to accomplish. The Celtics won a championship two years ago. He played a central role in the construction of that roster. Now other teams are asking the question.

Can he build a contender elsewhere? Chicago would represent a major opportunity. He’d obviously receive a promotion, becoming Graham’s right-hand man and new general manager. That would give him far more sway in the organization than he had in Boston. Also, building an analytics department almost from scratch could be a fascinating challenge for him. If Dave Lewin can help Graham turn the Bulls back into an Eastern power, NBA teams will be lining up to hand him the keys.

The overall objective is clear.

Chicago wants to upgrade their front office to something state-of-the-art. That means overhauling the analytics division. This is something the team has needed for a long time. Up until the end of the Gar/Pax era, the Bulls were as old-school as it gets on the operational side. It was two guys at the top and a small group of scouts. Karnisovas tried to bring things along further, but it seems his operation never reached the level of quality needed to address some of the major problems in the team’s scouting process.

Dave Lewin would change that. He’s seen how the best do it. He had a hand in building what the Celtics have become. The Bulls hope to bring him and that blueprint to Chicago. What isn’t known is how Boston will react. They probably won’t be happy about the idea of losing one of their top executives to an Eastern Conference rival. Much depends on how good the Bulls’ recruiting pitch is. If that falls through, expect them to pursue other big names in the analytics field as they prepare for the NBA draft.

Blackhawks Fall In NHL Draft Lottery, Get Worst-Case Scenario With This Year’s Pick

By
Isaac Nielsen
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Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson makes the nineteenth pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

We’re just three years removed from the day the Chicago Blackhawks’ franchise was turned upside down–when they jumped up to first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft to select Connor Bedard. On Tuesday night, though, they weren’t so lucky. 

The Maple Leafs won the lottery to move up to first overall and the Sharks jumped up to second overall, forcing the Blackhawks down to the fourth overall pick behind the Canucks. After selecting No. 1 in 2023, No. 2 in 2024, and No. 3 in 2025, the downhill pattern continues with the fourth selection at this year’s NHL Draft in late June. 

The Leafs and Senior Executive Advisor Mats Sundin will have a chance to likely select Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick. With a new 1C in town, will they make the rumors true and move Auston Matthews? Would the Blackhawks give up this year’s No. 4 overall pick to get him?

I wrote earlier on Tuesday that outside of McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, Chicago should be targeting Caleb Malhotra or Chase Reid with the No. 4 pick. Picking fourth overall might actually make that decision easier if nothing changes before draft day, as they’ll have the opportunity to take one of the two players that seem to be in the second tier of this year’s prospects. They’ll have until Friday, June 26, to make their decision (or even trade the pick to make a splash in this summer’s trade market!). 

Injury Stalls Shane Smith’s Comeback Attempt as White Sox Rotation Finds Its Groove

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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Mar 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Shane Smith (64) gets a mound visit in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

It’s been a rough start to the season for Shane Smith. After earning the Opening Day nod for the Chicago White Sox, he was quickly demoted to Triple-A Charlotte just three starts into the season, and now, he’s dealing with another setback.

On Sunday, it was reported that Smith had suffered a right rotator cuff strain, which put him out of commission for several weeks.

While the shoulder issue could have been a factor in his early struggles, the timing couldn’t be worse for Smith as he works to regain his footing. Command issues that plagued him early in the season have followed him to Triple-A Charlotte, where he’s posted a 5.27 ERA over 13.2 innings, recording 18 strikeouts but also issuing eight walks.

Those issues were on full display in his final start against the Baltimore Orioles. While Shane Smith looked nearly unhittable at times, in part because nearly half his pitches missed the strike zone, he struggled to find consistency. He tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out eight, but five walks drove his pitch count up to 99 and cut his outing short.

In Smith’s first three starts, the White Sox bullpen was forced to eat a combined 17 innings, with just one of those outings lasting past the third inning. Not exactly what the White Sox had in mind when they named Smith their Opening Day starter.

Smith’s stuff has never been in question, but his four-seam fastball, which was his highest graded pitch when he was named an All-Star last season, has betrayed him. Despite using his fastball in nearly half of his offerings, he was limiting opponents to a .192 average and had a Run Value of 20. This season, hitters still aren’t doing much damage against his fastball, but largely because too many of them aren’t competitive. As a result, the fastball’s impact has slipped, with its Run Value dropping to -1.

By sending Smith to the minor leagues, he has an opportunity to tweak some things in a less pressurized environment without being a detriment to the White Sox pitching staff. But the injury not only further delays any tweaks that Smith can make, but it also makes his road back to the big leagues a bit tougher.

The White Sox starting rotation has not only held up surprisingly well in Smith’s absence, but has thrived. Entering Tuesday, the rotation owned a 3.53 ERA, the fifth-best mark in the MLB.

Smith now faces a situation where a spot in the rotation may be hard to come by. Noah Schultz looks like a legitimate future ace, Davis Martin is putting together an All-Star-worthy season, and Sean Burke has tossed 13 consecutive scoreless innings. Erick Fedde has also provided a steady veteran presence at the back end of the rotation, posting a 3.24 ERA across 33.1 innings.

Currently, Anthony Kay looks like the weakest link in the rotation, but with Smith on the shelf, Hagen Smith appears to be next in line for a promotion. That’s not to say that Shane Smith won’t get another opportunity with the big league club this season, but the setback comes at an inopportune time for the 26-year-old.

League Insider Has A Valid Warning About The Chicago Bears’ 2026 Schedule

By
Erik Lambert
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caleb williams
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) is swarmed by teammates after throwing the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against the Green Bay Packers during their football game Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

The Chicago Bears have moved on from the 2025 season. Head coach Ben Johnson made sure of that. What they accomplished last year doesn’t mean anything. This will not be the same team that left the icy Soldier Field against the Rams in January. They are starting over from scratch. Lots of new players, and most importantly, a new schedule. Right now, the Bears only know who their opponents will be for next season. They don’t yet know when those matchups will happen, both calendar-wise and time-of-day-wise.

That latter part is not something people have thought about much. NFL insider Mike Florio cautioned on 104.3 The Score that it would be wise to start. He stated that, because of the team’s success last year and Chicago’s massive ratings draw, the league is almost certain to insert them into as many primetime slots as possible. Get Johnson, Caleb Williams, and the other big names in front of a national audience. There will be no consistency with this schedule. It will be a mishmash of different days of the week and most likely an international game as well.

The Chicago Bears likely knew this was coming.

After all, they’ve seen the NFL do it before. In 2018, the team broke through with a 12-4 record and won the division title. Together with the epic Double Doink game in the playoffs, the league couldn’t wait to showcase the Bears a ton at the start of 2019. Five of their first six games that season were either in primetime or the late afternoon window. If Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky got that sort of reaction, you can only imagine what Williams and Johnson will command. Their media profiles are far higher among national fans.

This is probably why the Bears are considered heavy favorites to open the season in Seattle against the defending champion Seahawks. No doubt the NFL is hoping it will be a playoff preview between two really good teams, setting the tone for what will be a competitive NFC. Of course, we all remember what happened the last time the Bears opened up a season on primetime after a playoff run the previous year. They flopped in a 10-3 loss to Green Bay and started a slow spiral down the drain.

It isn’t hard to predict what some other primetime games will be.

You can bet at least one of the matchups will involve the Green Bay Packers. After the numbers both teams did in their last two games against each other, there is no way the NFL is leaving that out of a national slot. One can assume another should include the Minnesota Vikings, especially after they landed former Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray. Maybe the Detroit Lions also get one, but that feels unlikely unless it’s on Thanksgiving. Other options include a rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles, a big-time showdown with the AFC champion New England Patriots, or a D.J. Moore reunion against the Buffalo Bills.

Any one of those is sure to do great numbers, especially if the Chicago Bears can maintain their consistency from last year and keep winning. That depends on Johnson’s continued ability to develop young guys on the roster, including Williams. If their incoming draft class can make strong contributions as well, this team should be every bit as dangerous as before, if not more so.

Chicago Cubs Breakout Prospect Wins Player of the Month in Triple-A

By
Aldo Soto
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Mar 17, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Pedro Ramirez against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs breakout prospect Pedro Ramirez capped off April by hitting his eighth home run of the season for the Iowa Cubs, tying his single-season high in long balls in less than 30 games. The switch-hitting infielder has taken a giant leap forward so far in 2026, and he was rewarded this week, as Ramirez was named the International League Player of the Month in Triple-A for April.

Ramirez, 22, has been heralded for his defense in the minors, and despite a solid 122 wRC+ in Double-A during the 2025 season, questions remained about his projection as a potential MLB hitter. Well, so far in 2026, Ramirez has smashed any assumptions about his hitting tool, already hitting eight home runs with a .312/.381/.584 slash line at Triple-A with the Iowa Cubs.

During the month of April, Ramirez played in 24 games and posted a 1.023 OPS in 109 plate appearances. He led the league in home runs with seven, 28 RBI, and most total bases, and Ramirez’s power surge helped him record a .625 slugging percentage, which finished second overall among all players.

The switch-hitter first broke into pro ball back in 2021 in the Dominican Summer League. His career high for home runs in a single season is eight, which he reached twice before this year’s breakout performance.

Now, through 31 total games, Ramirez is on his way to climbing up prospect rankings. He began the year ranked No. 8 in the Cubs minor league system according to MLB Pipeline’s top-30 rankings for each team.

If you’re the Cubs, you have to be ecstatic over Ramirez’s substantial growth since last year as a player. While the Cubs have a stacked major league infield, having quality depth one phone call away shouldn’t be taken for granted. A few months ago, Ramirez was seen as a potential bench guy, a defensive-sub type of player, but now he’s raising his profile as a guy who can start in the big leagues.

The results don’t appear to be fluky either.

Who knows what the future holds for Ramirez, but this early-season breakout is a huge deal for the Cubs, who have seen their minor league system get somewhat depleted in recent years.

Some Chicago Cubs Fans Are Pitting Pete Crow-Armstrong Against Matt Shaw

By
Aldo Soto
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Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled to lead off the ninth inning of Monday night’s 5-4 walk-off win by the Chicago Cubs. Down by one in the final inning, the Cubs center fielder scored the tying run on a sac-fly hit by Nico Hoerner. JJ Bleday’s throw from left field came somewhat close, but a bit off target as Crow-Armstrong sprinted home without sliding.

Before Michael Conforto ended the game with his home run, Crow-Armstrong was seen in the dugout talking to Matt Shaw about the play at home, and what was actually a great moment between teammates spiraled into a nauseating argument between some of the dumbest Cubs fans you’ll ever encounter.

Shaw was on deck when Hoerner hit the fly ball to left field, and if you’ve ever paid close attention to these plays, then you’ll notice the on-deck player giving the runner coming from third base some guidance. At first glance, it appeared as though Shaw didn’t give Crow-Armstrong any signal, which is why there was no slide at home. However, on replay, it did look like Shaw was pointing at one side of the plate as the throw was toward the first-base line.

In his postgame radio interview, Crow-Armstrong acknowledged that he should have slid no matter what, but during the game, he took the time to talk with Shaw about the play. The interaction between Crow-Armstrong and Shaw that was caught by Marquee Sports Network cameras couldn’t have been more than five seconds, but some fans really lost their mind over it.

It is 100% ridiculous to make this anything more than two players communicating on how to improve for a future moment, because it is pretty obvious that Crow-Armstrong was telling Shaw that he needs to be more demonstrative signaling to a runner coming in from third base who can’t see the direction of the throw.

Instead, there was this reaction by some in the fan base, painting the interaction as Crow-Armstrong disrespecting Shaw.

Just wild stuff here. Again, no idea how anyone could relate this to a Carlos Zambrano meltdown in the dugout AND a hilarious overreaction by that fan on Shaw as well.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get worse…

I get it, not every fan agrees on everything, far from it, I’m no better than the next person on the internet sharing their views on the Cubs, but what in the world is that conversation? Sending down Pete Crow-Armstrong? Matt Shaw sucks? Huh?

Anyway, back to the PCA-Shaw conversation. That’s what a great team looks like. This is what winners do. PCA saw something and addressed it, going directly to Shaw. There was no dressing down of the player. Meanwhile, Shaw stood there and listened. That’s showing good leadership and being a good teammate from everyone involved.

The Cubs are rolling, now winning 16 of their last 19 games, including 12 straight at home, and they’ll be looking to extend their current winning streak to seven games on Tuesday night.

NHL Draft Lottery Day Special: Blackhawks Odds, History, And Potential Targets

By
Isaac Nielsen
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Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Connor Bedard puts on a Chicago Blackhawks jersey after being taken with the first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The first big day of the NHL offseason calendar is upon us! After almost a month since their last game, the Chicago Blackhawks will be thrown back into the spotlight Tuesday night for the NHL Draft Lottery, set to kick off at 6 p.m. CDT. The Blackhawks finished with the second-worst record in the league last season behind the Canucks, so they’ll have the second-best odds at the top pick in the 2026 Draft, which will be held June 26-27. Chicago’s odds of receiving every pick are listed below:

No. 1: 13.5%
No. 2: 14.1%
No. 3: 30.7%
No. 4: 41.7%

For the second straight year, fans will watch on live TV (ESPN) as the lottery balls are drawn from Secaucus, New Jersey, at NHL Network’s studio. The Blackhawks have 135 of the 1,000 possible combinations of the four numbers.

Since the lottery was introduced in 1995, Chicago has moved up four times:

1999: No. 8 -> No. 4 (a pick that was eventually traded to Vancouver)
2007: No. 5 -> No. 1 (Patrick Kane)
2019: No. 12 -> No. 3 (Kirby Dach)
2023: No. 3 -> No. 1 (Connor Bedard)

The Blackhawks have never moved up from No. 2 to No. 1, like they hope to do tonight. In fact, only three teams have done so in the past 15 years, all from 2012-2014. If you believe in a certain number combination being “due,” the Blackhawks might be in luck. To do so, however, they’ll have to pass the Canucks, who have a 25.5% chance at snagging the top pick.

Assuming the Blackhawks make the pick, no matter where they’re picking inside the top four, they’ll be getting a quality prospect capable of making a big impact at the next level. In the past three drafts, Chicago has picked at No. 1 (Bedard), No. 2 (Levshunov), and No. 3 (Frondell). In the best-case scenario, they’ll be adding to that group with Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg, the projected first and second overall picks this year. But even if they move down, they could be targeting guys like center Caleb Malhotra or RHD Chase Reid, both of whom could turn into superstars down the line. We’ll get a better feel for who the Blackhawks might be targeting after the lottery balls are drawn tonight, but either way, Chicago can’t really go wrong. Then again, McKenna and Stenberg are a tier above the field of prospects this year, so it certainly wouldn’t hurt to at least keep their position, or even have a repeat of 2023.

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