DRAFT: What the Experts are Saying About Blackhawks Selections

As the 2022 NHL Draft comes to a close in Montreal, it's time to slow things down and take a look at the acquisitions made by the Blackhawks in their top selection spots.
Take a look what some experts from around the league had to say about the prospects coming into the Chicago system.

Kevin Korchinski (D) - 1st Rd., 7th Ovr

"Korchinski stands out when you watch him. He always has the puck on his stick as a mobile defenseman with great hands and offensive instincts. When you combine that with a 6-foot-2 frame the tools are easy to see, and and it's easy to think of a scenario where he becomes a quality top four defenseman in the NHL even if he's never an all-world defender." -
Corey Pronman, The Athletic
"Great skating ability that allows him to get back on pucks quickly, initiate the rush and walk the offensive zone blue line...Significant upside. He brings size, movement, thought and detail." -
Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet.ca
"The first big mover on the draft board…He's got a ton of offensive upside, as shown in his 65-point season in 67 games. The Blackhawks are in a teardown. Korchinski can be an important piece in building back up." -
Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
"Most prospects use the middle lane sparingly. Korchinski attacks it every touch with unwavering confidence. Once he gets the first forechecker chasing, he skates directly at the next one. Sometimes, he fakes them out with handling skill and dekes around them. Others, he passes under their stick for a long-range breakout pass. If neither is an option, he encourages the forechecker to reach, then he cuts back away from them before moving play to the inside. Either way, the result is the same: he's beat two players, meaning there's an open teammate up the ice." -
EliteProspects.com

Frank Nazar (F) - 1st Rd., 13th Ovr.

"He's a threatening player from the hashmarks because of his wrister, which he pops off of his stick with power and precision thanks in large part to the balance he displays through his weight shift (he's not a particularly strong kid). He's got quick hands, which help him deftly adjust in traffic to get shots off under pressure...He flashes creativity throughout his game. He plays pucks into space as well as anyone in the draft, regularly executing through tight gaps in coverage. And he's just a hungry, driven player who consistently targets the middle lane with his greatest asset: his skating. Nazar's one of the fastest players in the draft." -
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
"Nazar is out of the National Team Development Program and is one of the most dynamic, quick centers in this class. He's got sneaky offense and is a tremendous transitional player." -
Chris Peters, Dailyfaceoff.com
"Nazar could develop into an impactful top-six skater for the Blackhawks as he continues adding strength and honing the skills in his repertoire. He's similar in ways to the player Chicago traded away earlier in the day,
Alex DeBrincat
." -
Kristen Shilton, ESPN

Sam Rinzel (D) - 1st Rd., 25th Ovr.

"A projectable, top-arm flared release, combined with synced weight-transfer and an immense amount of downforce, Rinzel has all the mechanics to be a shooting force on the blue line. Combine that with angle-changing inward drags, high placements, and a penchant to eat up available space, all while pushing free range activations, the dominance that permeated across his game created significant intrigue across the Elite Prospects scouting team." -
EliteProspects.com
"Rinzel is a long-term project, but he's an exciting one as he's just shy of 6-foot-4 and can skate. His offensive prowess shows potential, but he'll need to round out his game more and get stronger." -
Chris Peters, Dailyfaceoff.com
"Rinzel's appeal is all about the potential because it feels like he's just scratching the surface. He's a long, right-shot defender who thrives in transition, is relatively inexperienced... has room to fill out his frame, has already quickly played catch-up with his peers along a steep progression, and has time (thanks to a late-June birthday) to do more of that. He's a fluid skater with an active stick and an eager approach to playing offence and defence that keeps him involved in all three zones." -
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

Paul Ludwinski (F) - 2nd Rd., 39th Ovr.

"He's just an energy ball that doesn't stop. There's a lot to his game that's really appealing. I think the biggest part is his compete and his willingness to just not stop working. He just goes. And there are some parts of his game that need to be polished but for his first year coming in, he has been very impressive. He's a guy at 17 years old that we're sending over the boards whether it's late in the game, whether we need a goal, whether it's the power play, or whether we need a draw and we need him to be responsible defensively. We're excited to see his growth. And I know there has been a lot of buzz around his name. For me, I think he's going to be a special player. He just brings a lot of energy." - Fronts assistant coach Chris Longo,
via Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

Ryan Greene (F) - 2nd Rd., 57th Ovr.

"He's got a pro frame, a lean build to fill out, a smooth (though not explosive) skating stride, and a well-rounded, always-in-the-mix game that made him an all-situations player in the USHL. The strength of his game offensively rests in his ability to handle to the interior and then use crowds to make soft little plays to teammates, or to draft to the perimeter and feed pucks into space. He was also one of the USHL's most proficient players on the power play, with 28 of his 51 points coming on the man advantage. I'd like to see him look to attack into his own looks a little more (he actually has a very accurate wrister), but that will come with some muscle." -
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

Gavin Hayes (F) - 3rd Rd., 66th Ovr.

"He's a versatile player who plays on both special teams in Flint, has east-west and north-south attributes, and can play on or off the puck on his line. With it, he's capable of taking defenders one-on-one and I've seen him make high-skill plays through feet, under sticks and around defenders...He can also play both wings, which should help him find a role as a complementary winger if all goes well." -
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic