The Chicago Blackhawks have two first-round picks in the 2025 draft.
The Chicago Blackhawks currently sit last in the NHL with a record of 14-25-2, which has led many to discuss which player will be selected as the next big piece of the rebuild at the 2025 NHL Draft.
It is exciting to imagine the future with another top-three selection playing alongside Connor Bedard, with talented prospects such as James Hagens, Porter Martone, and Michael Misa all making a case to be the number one pick.
With another top draft pick soon to be in the Blackhawks’ future, the team will also be picking twice in the first round for the fourth season in a row.
This added first round pick originally belonged to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who dealt the pick to the Blackhawks at the 2023 Trade Deadline in a deal that sent Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty to Toronto.
Though this selection will likely fall later in the first round, the Blackhawks could have some options regarding what to do with the pick.
For instance, they could stay put or try and move up further in the round to take a player they feel strongly about, which isn’t unlikely considering Kyle Davidson’s aggressiveness to move up in past drafts.
Players at the top of the draft will continue to be talked about until their names are called on the stage in June.
These are some players outside the top five who aren’t discussed as much who should be on the Blackhawks’ radar.
Brady Martin: Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
Projected to go later in the first round of the 2025 draft, Brady Martin could be a nice complementary piece for the future of the Blackhawks.
With 29 points in 28 OHL games, Martin has already surpassed his point total from last season and is breaking out at the right time.
Martin is a very versatile player who DailyFaceoff refers to as a “sparkplug” because of his competitiveness and desire to make an impact.
The Blackhawks’ management has drafted many players with high motors in recent years, and one with some scoring upside such as Martin could make him just the player they are looking for in a late first-round selection.
Jake O’Brien: Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Playing in his second season with the Brantford Bulldogs, Jake O’Brien has elevated his game and is on pace to surpass last season’s totals by over twenty points.
O’Brien currently has 50 points in 39 games, putting him on pace to score 88 points on the season and further solidifying himself as a first round talent.
The 6-foot-2-inch center brings a strong hockey IQ and awareness that he has weaponized in the OHL this season. His ability to find open areas for himself and his teammates is among some of the best in the draft class.
🌟 #OHLPerformer of the Night 🌟#NHLDraft eligible Jake O'Brien had a big night on Saturday, netting TWO goals🚨 and TWO assists🍎, leading the @BulldogsOHL to a big 8-2 win in Owen Sound!#OHL | @bastardburrito pic.twitter.com/fozrihbkFg
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 29, 2024
O’Brien is a player the Blackhawks’ scouting staff has surely been aware of since he joined the junior ranks. Brampton is the home of two other Blackhawks’ prospects from the previous two drafts, 2023 third-round pick Nick Lardis and 2024 first-rounder Marek Vanacker.
The vision and on-ice intelligence of Jake O’Brien could be a great fit for the Blackhawks as someone who could round out the forward group of the future and be a relied upon player in the NHL one day.
Carter Bear: Everett Silvertips (WHL)
When looking through the upcoming crop of players in the 2025 NHL Draft, Carter Bear seems like the exact player Kyle Davidson would attempt trading up to select.
Bear is a 6-foot-1-inch winger who brings a highly competitive playing style who makes an impact at both ends of the ice.
This season has been a breakout for Bear as he has netted 26 goals and 54 points in 31 games, putting him on pace to surpass the one-hundred point plateau.
Carter Bear (2025) has 19 goals and 35 points in 20 games this season – 2nd in goals and points in the WHL.
Plus he's a menace physically. We like him. pic.twitter.com/twot6iPNyh
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) November 17, 2024
Bear is a player who has the potential to be a fan favorite for whichever team ends up selecting him in the draft. He is no stranger to being physical and being a net-front presence in the offensive zone.
When the draft inevitably arrives in late June, Bear could definitely be a player who rises higher in the rankings due to his style of play. However, if there is a chance the Blackhawks’ could land him, he would make for an exciting addition to the prospect pool.
