No team likes to have wasted 1st round draft picks that either flop royally or get traded for other assets then flourish in their new organizations. The Blackhawks are no different and have their fair share of such 1st rounders from over the past 15 years.
Starting after Patrick Kane went 1st overall in 2007, here's a look at former 1st rounders who are no longer with the Hawks and whether they have equivalents in the system drafted in either the 1st round or later rounds or acquired via trade or free agency.
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2008: Kyle Beach (LW)
Player Notes:
* Never played for Chicago.
* Traded in 2013 to the Rangers for Brandon Mashinter.
* Hasn't played since 2019-20 (Miskolci DVTK Polar Bears, Slovakian Extraleague).
Kyle Beach was arguably supposed to be what Tom Wilson is presently to the Capitals: a power forward who is a major pain in the butt to play against yet skilled enough to score in a top 6 role. Also, Beach possessed a meathead factor dialed up to the nines like Wilson.
Yet, unlike Wilson, Beach just couldn't get it together to earn even an NHL cup of coffee. He lacked composure and polish to bring anything to the ice other than pugilism. Sadly, Beach is most known for breaking the arm of fellow prospect Mathis Olimb in a scrimmage fight.
A pair of prospects stand out as possible players who can provide a ton of sandpaper while also generating offense in a secondary role: Evan Barratt and Landon Slaggert. Both likely project to be no higher than 3rd liners but may have enough talent for spot duty in the top 6.
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2009: Dylan Olsen (D)
Player Notes:
* Played 28 games for Chicago.
* Traded in 2013 with Jimmy Hayes to the Panthers for Kris Versteeg and Philippe Lefebvre.
* Hasn't played since 2019-20 (Wichita Thunder, ECHL).
Dylan Olsen was speculated to be a hulking defensive stalwart who had sufficient skill to move the puck out of his end. While being a top pair defender wasn't necessarily his projection, being an anchor for the 2nd pair was his likely ceiling had he reached potential.
Lack of defensive reliability and consistency prevented Olsen from having any viability to hold down a stable job in the NHL. After a stint with the Hawks, Olsen played half of two consecutive seasons with the Panthers before toiling in the minor leagues and Europe.
Alex Vlasic and Isaak Phillips may be what Olsen was intended to be for the Hawks. Both have size and long wing spans plus improving strength to shut down the opposition. Even more, they each skate fairly well, can make breakout passes, and hammer shots from the point.
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2010: Kevin Hayes (RW)
Player Notes:
* Never played for Chicago.
* Became a UFA in 2014 and signed to an ELC by the Rangers.
* Currently plays for the Flyers.
Kevin Hayes had power forward written all over him as he played that role for Boston College and possessed a skill bundle that would permit him to be a force in the top 6 at the pro level. He was a strong skater and his play in the defensive end was also dependable.
However, Hayes reportedly wanted an immediate path to the NHL and not have to spend time in the minors. He didn't see that chance being in Chicago and decided to become a free agent once he ended his NCAA career so he could shop around for the best opportunity.
In terms of a top 6 forward who can play a power game up and down the ice, Kirby Dach is the only player who fits the bill albeit with a higher ceiling than what Hayes was forecasted to be and has accomplished in the NHL. After Dach, though, the cupboard is barren.
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2011: Mark McNeill (C)
Player Notes:
* Played one game for Chicago.
* Traded in 2017 to the Stars for Johnny Oduya.
* Played this past season in Sweden (Vita Hasten HC, Swedish 1st Division Non-Elite League).
Upon being drafted, Mark McNeill was touted as already having pro size that made him almost a shoo-in to be an NHL center. His playing style wasn't too different from Hayes. One thing that McNeill possessed more of than Hayes, though, was leadership qualities.
Although he had decent offensive numbers as a member of the IceHogs, one factor that kept McNeill back from nothing more than cups of coffee with the Hawks and Stars was his inability to play with pace to be an impact player in all zones whether in the top or middle 6.
No current roster player or prospect has McNeill's combination of size and potential to be at least a middle 6 center who can play in all situations. Dach's ceiling is much greater than McNeill's while MacKenzie Entwistle is best cast as a stellar bottom 6 center.
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2011: Phillip Danault (C)
Player Notes:
* Played 32 games for Chicago.
* Traded in 2016 with a 2018 2nd round pick to the Canadiens for Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise.
* Currently plays for the Canadiens.
Phillip Danault was drafted to be a premier shutdown center who is phenomenal defensively while capable of scoring around a 0.50 PPG clip. Even when starring at Victoriaville of the QMJHL, this was also his role that he could use to stamp his passport to the pros.
Today as a veteran of 6 NHL seasons, Danault has lived up to those expectations. Too bad it's as a member of the Canadiens as he was the centerpiece of one of the worst trades in Blackhawks history that continue to haunt fans -- and the franchise -- to this day.
While there may be some very good bottom 6 centers in the system like Entwistle and Antti Saarela and some very good top 6 centers in Dach and Henrik Borgstrom, there aren't any who are the complete package that Danault is as an offensively capable shutdown pivot.
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2012: Teuvo Teravainen (LW)
Player Notes:
* Played 115 games for Chicago.
* Traded in 2016 with Bryan Bickell to the Hurricanes for a 2016 2nd round pick and 2017 3rd round pick.
* Currently plays for the Hurricanes.
There was much excitement for Teuvo Teravainen as his vision and hockey sense were reminiscent of -- but not at the same astronomical plane, of course -- as Kane. Teravainen not only shined in the Finnish elite league as a teen but was the stuff of legends in the WJC.
During his time in Chicago, though, Teravainen was plagued with a growing reputation of being a perimeter player with alligator arms. Since joining Carolina, he has bulked up and been on a rocket to the moon offensively fueled by less fear to go to the rough areas.
Lukas Reichel is hands down the prospect who could replicate what the Hawks wanted Teravainen to be. He has a similar skill set but has a leg up on Teravainen in these facets as a 1st rounder on the cusp of the NHL: fearlessness, resilience, and commitment to gaining strength.
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2013: Ryan Hartman (RW)
Player Notes:
* Played 141 games for Chicago.
* Traded in 2018 to the Predators for Victor Ejdsell, 2018 1st round pick, and 2018 4th round pick.
* Currently plays for the Wild.
Perhaps what the Hawks lost in Beach they made up for by taking Ryan Hartman with the final pick in the 1st round of 2013. Their playing styles and modus operandi are almost identical with Hartman having a relatively lower meathead quotient but not by very much.
Obviously, Hartman made it to the NHL and continues to secure employment despite being with his 4th team now. At one point, Hartman was playing in the top 6 for the Hawks but has carved a niche as a bottom 6 agitator who can still provide secondary scoring.
There are plenty of equivalent players of Hartman's ilk in Chicago's system with Barratt and Slaggert as front runners. Andrei Altybarmakian and Tim Soderlund are ones to watch, too. Brandon Hagel could be a current facsimile but is more consistently influential.
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2014: Nick Schmaltz (C)
Player Notes:
* Played 162 games for Chicago.
* Traded in 2018 to the Coyotes for Brendan Perlini and Dylan Strome.
* Currently plays for the Coyotes.
What you see is what you get with Nick Schmaltz from draft day to the NHL: a slick, crafty playmaking center who has a penchant for passing rather than shooting. While he may not put up elite stats, he still is capable of thriving in the top 6 with the right linemates.
Yet, what prevents Schmaltz from being an effective pivot who can move the needle for a team is a lack of drive to play without fear and create in a physical environment. Ironically, the same could be said about who he was traded for: the one and only Dylan Strome.
Not counting Strome given that his future with the Hawks is in doubt, Borgstrom may be next in line to be that top 6 center who makes cerebral plays at top speed, generates offense with creativity, and commits to playing a full 200 feet including in traffic.
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2017: Henri Jokiharju (D)
Player Notes:
* Played 38 games for Chicago.
* Traded in 2019 to the Sabres for Alex Nylander.
* Currently plays for the Sabres.
During his rookie year, Henri Jokiharju displayed a swagger that was refreshing to watch when he burst onto the scene. But like most freshmen, he hit a developmental wall and was eventually demoted to Rockford which didn't sit well with him as his ego got in the way.
Jokiharju may end up having a solid NHL career but he may not reach the pinnacle of being a top pairing blueliner and could even top out at the 3rd pair. He can be part of a mobile blueline with his puck transition skills but his defensive game still needs much refinement.
Similarly as Hartman, take your pick with a slew of Blackhawks D youngsters and prospects who can easily replace Jokiharju on the right side: Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, Alec Regula, as well as even Wyatt Kalynuk and Chad Krys who both can play their off side.
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Rockford Updates
2021 Team Awards
Over the past week the IceHogs announced a recipient per day for the annual team awards. Previously announced awards include:
* Dylan McLaughlin for Most Improved Player
* Dmitry Osipov for Heavy Hitter
* D.J. Busdeker for Unsung Hero
* Isaak Phillips for Rookie of the Year
Below are the recipients of the remaining awards.
Defenseman of the Year:
My Prediction: Isaak Phillips
2021 Recipient: Cody Franson
Other Nominees: Anton Lindholm, Isaak Phillips
Most Valuable Player:
My Prediction: Dylan McLaughlin
2021 Recipient: Cody Franson
Other Nominees: MacKenzie Entwistle, Dylan McLaughlin
IceHogs 🎥: Led all team D in points, tied for 13th among AHL D in points, and guided/coached our young guns like Kalynuk, Regula, Phillips, Mitchell, Beaudin and more!
To be honest, Cody Franson really wasn't the best defenseman on the team if a criteria is showing a modicum of excelling at defensive play. Franson may have had good advice for the young D-men on the team but he rarely role modeled exemplary defense on the ice.
Isaak Phillips deserved the award given his ability as a teenager to balance fairly well the duties of defending in his own end with taking charge on the rush with crisp passes out of the zone, heads up carries up ice, and heavy accurate shots from the point.
As far as winning the MVP honors, Franson again may very well have been the most valuable on the bench, in the locker room, and off the ice. During an actual game, though, Franson was far from the most valuable to the team. Dylan McLaughlin deserved it out of anyone.
McLaughlin was an impact player in all situations for the Hogs playing on both special teams as well as top 6 at even strength. He was the offensive leader with 8 goals, 14 assists, and 22 points in 28 games as well as dependable defensively and superb on the PK.
Despite this blogger's opinions, Franson still brings quite a lot of value to the Hogs as a mentor and player/coach to the young AHL squad. Whether it's as early as the 2021-22 season or the year after, Franson could be a future assistant coach to guide the prospects.
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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