Tyler Cameron: With the 3rd Overall Pick the Blackhawks Select… It's the moment you've all been waiting for – my final selection for the Blackhawks 3rd overall pick.

If you haven't been following along or need a refresher of these guys, here are the 7 players I covered as well as my selection for 3rd overall.

First.....😊Looking forward to the draft as it is one of my favorite things to watch😊

First - to agree on the Byram choice.

It’s very difficult to find a true top-line center - but even harder to pick up a potential Norris guy.

A long way to go before Byram gets into the final three for that award - if ever - but the reports ive read tell me that he has the best possible upside of any of the five noted.

And better than 7x7 for Kevin Hayes - a guy who has hit 20 goals once, 50 points once, basically 50% on CF (yes, with about 50% d-zone starts)....

What are AdB and Strome going to be looking for with decent seasons coming up?

Aren’t these GMs reading about the cap not going up as much as the league thought?

Turcotte & Byram are my choices, but I'd be happy with a few others. I had a feeling that you would go with Byram. Are you going to be doing a live draft blog like you did last year? I was lurking then, so I wanted to check.

Missed this yesterday, Tyler:

"Yesterday @ 8:35 AM ET

uno? ...and it is nearly bedtime down here...
- SC116



Nice! Whereabouts are you SC? "

I'm in Perth Western Australia --- but ... and here's the thing ... born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago -- Wayne's World Land -leastwise it was that county. My foo brother actually drove around Aurora looking for Stan Mikita's donuts ... spoiler alert --- he and his college buds didn't find it (yes - facepalms are allowed). :D

Great insights and I agree with the pick, but agree that I would be good with two or three of the listed players as the pick. If Stan is looking for additional pics it makes me think that the third overall will be traded to bring in some additional picks.

I was listening to NHL Radio on Sirius and they said both of Carolinas goalies are not expected back. would it be possible that they take a chance on trading for Crawford and Chicago puts out an offer to mrazek?

For better or worse, Tyler. Our thinking mirrored each other. I was all Cozins when Hawks won the lottery. And stayed on Cozens for the first while. But, as I read more...and as I thought about it....I started to drift toward Byram. My first instinct was I wanted a big, power guy who could compliment the Kane's and D-Cats up fromt. And...thinking we already had several decent young D-man prospects I thought a forward would be better. But, looking at the NHL environment now...the teams crying out for Top 4 D-men...I don't think having another young stud for the back end is a bad thing. As you siad...all of them won't pan out, and if most do, there should be zero trouble in moving one or two for that forward help.

My thinking now has shifted slightly.

Byram....Cozens....Turcotte....

And, may nott be any of them when it happens...(Right Darth???)....

I think if we get any of these three (Cozens, Byram, or Turcotte) we win. Kind of interesting that we control the draft, assuming that New Jersey and the Rangers take Hughes and Kakko respectively.

Another way for me to rationalize choosing Byram is that if they pass on any player that reaches his true potential, it’s going to be Byram that they regret not picking the most.

Miro Heiskanen was terrific for Dallas this past season and was arguably their best d-man. He was taken third overall and made the jump just one year later. Byram theoretically could follow the same trajectory.

From all I've read I'd go Byram as well. Cozens or Dach would be my number two. One thing about Turcotte that concerned me were a few comments to the effect, and I'm paraphrasing ... his energy overcomes his skating. A number of analysis point to his skating as being average. I had no way of verifying this myself so I went with the word of the majority of draft analysts who stated it. Now if Byram were to be picked in the top two then I'd like to see the Hawks select whoever was passed over of Hughes or KK.

If Byram is in fact a top pairing guy as projected, who plays defense as well as dominate on offense I don't see how you can pass on him regardless of what the Hawks have stockpiled and especially considering none of those Hawk prospect Dmen are being talked about as two way top pairing guys. Also nowhere, in any analysis, does it state that after Hughes and KK another forward is projected to be an impact player.

From all I've read I'd go Byram as well. Cozens or Dach would be my number two. One thing about Turcotte that concerned me were a few comments to the effect, and I'm paraphrasing ... his energy overcomes his skating. A number of analysis point to his skating as being average. I had no way of verifying this myself so I went with the word of the majority of draft analysts who stated it. Now if Byram were to be picked in the top two then I'd like to see the Hawks select whoever was passed over of Hughes or KK.

If Byram is in fact a top pairing guy as projected, who plays defense as well as dominate on offense I don't see how you can pass on him regardless of what the Hawks have stockpiled and especially considering none of those Hawk prospect Dmen are being talked about as two way top pairing guys. Also nowhere, in any analysis, does it state that after Hughes and KK another forward is projected to be an impact player.
- paulr

So go figure! After making comments about Turcotte's skating I went back to find the links and now I can't and the few places I looked rate his skating as excellent. So with that I'd rank him with Cozens and Dach as potential second choices after Byram.

If Byram is chosen, what are his options on where to play next year?

Ty,

You pretty much recited my mantra for picking Byram and why he's not going to be on the big board when the Hawks are on the clock at 3. Only way I would pick a winger over a future top line C or top pairing D is if that player is a "generational" talent. I've yet to hear anyone refer to Kakko as such....

If I was the GM--I'd pick Byram. You can never have enough QOOD defensemen. It will also allow Bowman to trade from strength.

But, I'm not the GM, Stan is. So that means he'll select someone else.

I'd be happy if it was Byram, CoZens or Turcotte.

Would be shocked if Byram can step right onto the team. Unless he is way farther advanced physically than the typical player his age. Or any of the forwards for that matter.

The Hawks would be wise to avoid the free agent feeding frenzy unless there is a player who they feel is preferable to Strome or ADB. Because they are probably only going to be able to spend that money one time.

I see the Maatta deal as one that makes the best of difficult acquisition circumstances. They locked in someone to help a big area of need without locking in crazy long-term money. Given that he actually can defend, he will have value in the market, and his buyout is peanuts.

I think Koekkoek will be the guy dealt to move up in the latter rounds. He probably has the most value among he, Forsling and Dahlstrom.

If Gustafsson is a natural left side defenseman, that is where they should play him. He has a hard enough time defending let alone being on his weak side. If Joker is not ready, they need a right side upgrade. Or they may deal Joker for a right side upgrade

If Byram is chosen, what are his options on where to play next year?
- hockey nut 28

Stay in juniors (WHL), or make the jump to the NHL.

Would be shocked if Byram can step right onto the team. Unless he is way farther advanced physically than the typical player his age. Or any of the forwards for that matter.

The Hawks would be wise to avoid the free agent feeding frenzy unless there is a player who they feel is preferable to Strome or ADB. Because they are probably only going to be able to spend that money one time.

I see the Maatta deal as one that makes the best of difficult acquisition circumstances. They locked in someone to help a big area of need without locking in crazy long-term money. Given that he actually can defend, he will have value in the market, and his buyout is peanuts.

I think Koekkoek will be the guy dealt to move up in the latter rounds. He probably has the most value among he, Forsling and Dahlstrom.

If Gustafsson is a natural left side defenseman, that is where they should play him. He has a hard enough time defending let alone being on his weak side. If Joker is not ready, they need a right side upgrade. Or they may deal Joker for a right side upgrade
- jrsamu

If Byram is chosen I would hope he is sent back to his Junior club and allow him to play towards a WHL Championship and Memorial cup as well as playing in the World Junior Tournament. I'd then like to see him get at least part of a season in the AHL following a similar route as Keith.

Missed this yesterday, Tyler:

"Yesterday @ 8:35 AM ET

uno? ...and it is nearly bedtime down here...
- SC116



Nice! Whereabouts are you SC? "

I'm in Perth Western Australia --- but ... and here's the thing ... born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago -- Wayne's World Land -leastwise it was that county. My foo brother actually drove around Aurora looking for Stan Mikita's donuts ... spoiler alert --- he and his college buds didn't find it (yes - facepalms are allowed). :D
- SC116

Love it!


Nice story.

I have to go with your analysis...a young generational type dman cannot be passed up...given the hawks defensive and #2 is close to the end of the road..Byram it is

buts its tough to pass up a big winger/center like turcott or dach

If Byram is chosen, what are his options on where to play next year?
- hockey nut 28

NHL or WHL.

NHL or Juniors would be Byrams only options.

NHL or Juniors would be Byrams only options.

I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Hawks trade with Detroit or Buffalo. Swap first rounders and pick up an extra pick or two. The Hawks would still end up with one of the 5 guys on their list and get extra picks

I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Hawks trade with Detroit or Buffalo. Swap first rounders and pick up an extra pick or two. The Hawks would still end up with one of the 5 guys on their list and get extra picks
- biskit67

Biskit - I haven't heard anything about dealing or swapping the 1st round pick but I wouldn't be shocked.

The stars would really have to align though as they are only a few teams I think they would be able to deal with as they wouldn't want to drop too far.