The worst-case scenario, albeit also the most likely one, unfolded for the Blackhawks on Tuesday in the NHL Draft Lottery.
The Hawks fell to the No. 4 overall pick, their lowest slot in four years.
They weren’t able to cash in on 13.5% and 14.1% chances, respectively, of winning the No. 1 or No. 2 picks. Instead, the Maple Leafs jumped over them for No. 1, and the Sharks — their rebuilding counterparts — jumped over them for No. 2. That pushed the last-place Canucks down to No. 3.
Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson will now need to plan out a number of hypothetical scenarios before the draft June 26.
He will likely end up choosing between center Caleb Malhotra and a large group of defensemen including Reid, Verhoeff, Carson Carels and Alberts Smits.
Malhotra has surged up public rankings lately due to an incredibly productive playoff run for the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs, a team the Hawks watch closely because one of their 2024 first-round picks, Marek Vanacker, also plays for them.
He doesn’t quite compare, however, to top forward prospects Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, who are now realistically out of reach for the Hawks.
Reid, a Michigan State commit, is a dynamic offensive defenseman. Verhoeff, a North Dakota freshman, is a stout defensive defenseman. Carels and Smits fall in between them on that spectrum but aren’t quite as hyped.
This story will be updated.