This offseason, Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson traded the tropical Dominican Republic for the more temperate Buffalo, N.Y. Following a family vacation in the Caribbean, Davidson is now in Buffalo attending the NHL scouting combine, which takes place from Sunday through Saturday.
“Draft preparation involves extensive video analysis, discussions, and meetings to strategize potential roster changes,” Davidson explained to the Chicago Tribune. “Throughout the process, we also meet with the players we’re scouting.” The NHL draft is scheduled for June 28-29 at Sphere in Las Vegas. In 2025, the league plans for teams to conduct their drafts from their home markets instead of congregating in one location. “It’s exciting,” Davidson remarked. “This is likely the last in-person draft, so we’ll savor the experience in Las Vegas and look forward to improving our organization.”
During an interview with the Tribune, Davidson discussed several topics, including top wing prospect Ivan Demidov, Connor Bedard’s performance at the IIHF World Championship, and the rationale behind the recent draft-pick trade with the New York Islanders.
**1. The Draft Trade**
The Blackhawks have become known for making notable trades during the draft. Last week, they made headlines by upgrading their first-round pick from 20th to 18th and their second-rounder from 54th to 50th, in exchange for an additional second-round pick (61st) sent to the Islanders.
Davidson commented on the buzz surrounding the trade, saying, “It’s actually been kind of funny to watch all the discourse around that trade. It’s been hilarious, actually. Our internal data suggested it was an improvement in value, so we made the trade. Although a second-round pick, regardless of how late, holds value, we have an abundance of picks. We believed that the picks we acquired had a better overall asset value than those we traded away.”
Davidson clarified that the move wasn’t part of a larger strategy or a precursor to additional trades. “Honestly, it was that simple. It’s not a precursor or anything. It’s not a first domino to fall. It was interesting reading all the theories on what the next move was going to be.”
With the Hawks’ second pick in the first round (No. 2 overall), the list of potential candidates is short, including names like Demidov and Artyom Levshunov. However, their second first-round pick at No. 18 brings more intrigue, with several exciting prospects, such as Bennett Sennecke or Michael Hage, potentially being selected before the 20th pick.
Davidson’s approach to the draft and trades underscores his focus on maximizing value and improving the team. By upgrading their draft positions, the Blackhawks aim to secure better prospects to bolster their roster, emphasizing a strategic yet straightforward approach to team-building. The speculation surrounding the moves reflects the anticipation and excitement among fans and analysts as the draft approaches. Davidson’s transparency and humor about the trade rumors further highlight his confidence in the team’s plan and direction.
