The 2017 NHL Draft has come and gone with teams stockpiling future talent that could potentially end up playing in the NHL. This year’s draft was considered to be somewhat weak as the number of elite prospects was few and far between. Therefore, difficult decisions had to be made for all 31 teams. Here are the prospects drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks and a brief synopsis of their talent:
Round 1, Pick 29: Henri Jokiharju, Defenseman, Tappara Tampere (Liiga):
Henri Jokiharju is a 5’11 two-way defenseman that is agile and quick on his feet. He wins races to the puck, will take away anticipated passing lanes, and has an accurate passing ability. He can make long stretch passes and is a great puck distributor. In 71 games, Jokiharju had 9 goals and 39 assists with +/- rating of 14.
Round 2, Pick 57: Ian Mitchell, Defenseman, Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL):
Ian Mitchell is a great passer and defender. He thrived in the defensive zone and developed into a great power play quarterback. Scouts say he needs to get stronger with weight training and his 5’10 height might be an issue. He has committed to the University of Denver where he will play in the fall. In 59 games, Mitchell had 8 goals and 29 assists.
Round 3, Pick 70: Andrei Altybarmakyan, Left Winger, Serebryanye Lvy St. Petersburg (MHL):
Andrei Altybarmakyan is a player that thrives on offense. He is a playmaker but also has a great shot. Projected to go later in the draft, Altybarmakyan was selected by the Blackhawks in the third round. They must have seen something special to take him earlier. In 31 games, he had 20 goals and 25 assists.
Round 3, Pick 90: Evan Barratt, Center, U.S. National U18 Team (USDP):
Evan Barratt is fast and smart on the ice. He has good hands and vision as well as a high hockey IQ. He brings energy to every shift he plays but does need to work on his skating. He has committed to play at Penn State University in the fall. In 63 games last season, he had 18 goals and 38 assists.
Round 4, Pick 122: Tim Soderlund, Center, Skellefta (SHL):
Tim Soderlund is 5’9 and is known for his skating ability. Despite his size, he will play in the dirty areas of the game. He is a hard worker and will do whatever it takes to win. Scouts say he still needs to bulk up and get stronger. In 39 games, he had 3 goals and 9 assists.
Round 4, Pick 119: Roope Laavainen, Defenseman, Jokerit U20 (Jr. A SM-Liiga):
Roope Laavainen is a 6’1 defenseman that skates well and is very competitive. He will play for HPK next season in the Liiga, Finland’s top league. In 48 games, he had 5 goals and 16 assists.
Round 5, Pick 144: Parker Foo, Left Winger, Brooks Bandits (AJHL):
The younger brother of Spencer Foo, Parker is a two-way player who loves to play defensively. He will be attending Union College next season where he will play hockey in the fall. In 60 games with the Bandits, he had 34 goals and 32 assists.
Round 5, Pick 150: Jakub Galvas, Defenseman, HC Olomouc (Czech):
Jakub Galvas is a terrific skater that is always full of energy. He will use his body to knock opponents off the puck and is always reliable in the defensive zone. In 35 games, he had 1 goal and 5 assists with +/- rating of -7.
Round 7, Pick 215: Joshua Ess, Defenseman, Lakeville South High School:l. Joshua Ess was the captain of his high school team and is a very good skater. He has great instincts and reaction skills on the ice. He has committed to the University of Wisconsin where he will play in the fall. In 23 games, he had 8 goals and 20 assists.
Draft Grade: C
The Chicago Blackhawks did not choose the best options available during this draft. Jokiharju, Altybarmakyan, and Foo are players to keep an eye in the upcoming years as they have been playing well and their development is progressing smoothly. Mitchell, Soderlund and Barratt were drafted early and still need to work on parts of their games to become impact players. Laavainen and Ess are both wild cards because their success will be jeopardized when they move up to play in a more difficult league in the fall. Lastly, Galvas will need a year or two with HC Olomouc before he is ready to come to North America and play in the AHL. He his is a player that will wind up playing in the AHL and with successful development could end up playing with the Blackhawks.
Featured Image via Wikimedia
