Today’s News Clips June 26, 2018

Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks cut ties with restricted free agent : report

Jimmy Greenfield June 25, 2018

The Blackhawks parted ways with restricted free agent forward Anthony Duclair after declining to make him a qualifying offer, the Sun-Times reported Monday.

Per team policy, the Hawks would not comment regarding the status of their restricted free agents.

The Hawks also were required to make offers to forward Tomas Jurco, defenseman and winger , whom the Hawks acquired from the Canucks on Sunday for .

If the Hawks don’t tender offers to Duclair or Jurco it saves them around $2.5 million as they eye potential free agents. They are not expected to make a bid for free agent center John Tavares, The Athletic reported Monday.

The Hawks have a little more than $9 million in cap space to work with, according to Capfriendly.com. Teams are currently in the one-week negotiating window with players but aren't permitted to sign free agents until July 1.

The Blackhawks acquired Jurco, 25, on Feb. 24, 2017, from the Red Wings for a 2017 third-round pick. He scored only one in 13 regular-season games for the Hawks and was a healthy scratch throughout their four-game sweep by the Predators in the first round of the playoffs.

Nevertheless, the Hawks signed the winger to a one-year extension worth $800,000. Jurco, a 2011 second- round pick, spent the majority of last season in Rockford, where he had 13 goals and 12 assists in 36 games. He was with the Hawks for 29 games, scoring six goals and four assists.

Duclair is 22 but the Hawks were his third organization, having been drafted in the third round by the Rangers in 2013 and then dealt to the Coyotes in 2015. The Hawks acquired him last January along with Clendening from the Coyotes for Richard Panik and .

He had 20 goals during his rookie season with the Coyotes in 2015-16, dropped to five goals the next year and was struggling last season with nine goals and six assists in 33 games when he was a healthy scratch 10 times before being dealt to the Hawks.

Duclair was open about needing a “change of scenery” but the same inconsistency that plagued his time in Phoenix carried over to Chicago. He had two goals and six assists in 23 games for the Hawks but was a healthy scratch on occasion and ended the season on a 14-game scoreless streak.

Chicago Sun-Times

Blackhawks offseason priorities begin with a top-four defenseman

Mark Lazerus June 25, 2018

Stan Bowman is almost always on the phone. Whether the Blackhawks general manager is walking the halls of the United Center, hanging out in the lobby of MB Ice Arena, watching a morning skate, or strolling through an NHL press box, Bowman’s phone is pretty much plastered to his ear. It’s his natural, resting state.

And this time of year, in the anything-can-happen period between the Stanley Cup Final and the official opening of free agency on July 1, every other general manager is doing the same.

Spitballing. Kicking tires. Gauging interest. Feeling out agents, feeling out each other.

“Probably 90 percent of the discussions you have don’t go anywhere,” Bowman said. “So we’re having a lot of dialogue even the last 10 days to two weeks, we’re very active in conversations. But most of them don’t lead anywhere. You have to put in the time. So we’re going to talk to some people and see if there’s a fit there.”

Well, the Hawks have needs, and they also have cap space. Sunday’s swap of minor-league centers with Vancouver — Tanner Kero for Michael Chaput — certainly won’t be the only deal the Hawks make. But they won’t be able to solve all their problems in one swing, either. So here’s a look at Bowman’s priorities, in order of need.

Bowman’s decision to extend Erik Gustafsson and Jan Rutta for a combined $3.5 million next season sent a curious message near the end of a rather miserable defensive season for the Hawks. It meant the Hawks have nine defensemen with NHL experience signed through next season. And that’s not counting 2017 first-rounder .

Yes, Gustafsson made strides. Yes, Rutta briefly formed an effective shutdown pairing with . Yes, was surprisingly good on his off side and yes, Brent Seabrook was perfectly fine in a slightly more limited role. But Bowman can’t possibly think it’s OK to bring this blue line back intact.

“I’m not trying to shake things up just to shake things up,” he said when asked about the defense. “If we can find a way to improve our team, then we’re going to look at that — whether it’s a defenseman or a forward or a goaltender.”

So does he try to deal away a player like Murphy, who carries a $3.85-million cap hit, to clear a roster spot for a free agent such as Calvin de Haan or Ian Cole? Does he trade for a guy like Carolina’s Justin Faulk — an ideal top-pairing partner for Duncan Keith — and bury a few guys in Rockford to make room? Does he do both?

The only thing he can’t do is nothing.

2. Find a goalie The Hawks don’t need a backup goalie. They need a co-goalie. A contingency plan. A 1B. And neither Anton Forsberg, J-F Berube nor Jeff Glass showed they were up to the job. Maybe Collin Delia becomes that guy eventually. But for now, the Hawks simply must find an external option. A source said they were one of many (one report had it as high as 10) teams that reached out to St. Louis UFA Carter Hutton (a former Hawks farmhand) as the free-agent interview period opened on Sunday. He’d be the best option after posting a .931 save percentage in 32 games with the Blues. He’s good enough to hold down the No. 1 job, but not experienced enough to necessarily be handed a guaranteed No. 1 job elsewhere.

Other options include Robin Lehner, Cam Ward (or, yes, Scott Darling via trade), Ondrej Pavelec, Jaroslav Halak and Kari Lehtonen. None of those guys is an elite netminder, but each is an improvement over the current Corey Crawford contingency committee.

3. Find a scorer The Hawks can score. With , Alex DeBrincat, Vinnie Hinostroza and Dylan Sikura joining the veteran core, they have plenty of firepower. But given the state of the defense and the uncertainty in goal, they can never have enough.

And someone needs to play left wing on Patrick Kane’s line.

So if you can get UFA James van Riemsdyk for about $6 million a season, you do it. If you can take Max Pacioretty off Montreal’s hands in a favorable deal, you do it. If you can get Jeff Skinner — long a Bowman favorite — out of Carolina, you do it.

4. Find a taker for Hossa If the Hawks never move Marian Hossa’s contract, it’s not the end of the world. Long-term injured reserve is always an option. But if you can unload his $5.275-million cap hit on another team without having to throw in too sweet a sweetener, all the better. It means more cap certainty, more in-season flexibility, and less paperwork.

The work has already begun. Bowman’s phone had better be charged.

Chicago Sun-Times

Blackhawks winger Anthony Duclair set to become an unrestricted free agent

Mark Lazerus June 25, 2018

Anthony Duclair is just 22 years old, has a 20-goal season under his belt and can skate with just about anybody in the NHL. But he’ll be on his fourth NHL team in the fall.

In a mild surprise, the Blackhawks decided not to tender Duclair a qualifying offer. That means the restricted free agent will become an unrestricted free agent Sunday, free to sign anywhere.

A qualifying offer would have cost the Hawks about $1.5 million, and with young players such as Dylan Sikura, Victor Ejdsell and Dominik Kahun expected to leapfrog Duclair on the organizational depth chart in the fall, there apparently wasn’t room for him at that price.

In theory, Duclair could come back at a cheaper price. But with his speed and the potential he has been chasing since his 20-goal season as a rookie in 2015-16, he’s likely to find plenty of suitors, even though the Hawks were unable to trade his negotiating rights.

Duclair had two goals and six assists in 23 games after the Hawks acquired him from the Coyotes for fellow winger Richard Panik. He missed the last month of the season with a leg injury.

Unlike many teams, the Hawks don’t make such decisions public. But it’s thought that their three other restricted free agents — winger Tomas Jurco, newly acquired center Michael Chaput and minor-league defenseman Adam Clendening — also were allowed to become unrestricted free agents.

Jurco had six goals and four assists in 29 games last season and had hoped to return.

‘‘For sure, I would like to stay here,’’ he said in late March. ‘‘I like the system. The city’s great, everything around the hockey is great, the people are great. There’s really not a reason for me to not want to come back.’’

The Hawks aren’t among the teams visiting with prized center John Tavares — an unrestricted free agent — this week in Los Angeles, but they hope to add a scorer, a defenseman and a goalie in free agency or by trade. By letting Duclair, Jurco, Chaput and Clendening walk, they open up contract spots in the organization.

Meanwhile, center Artem Anisimov by Sunday must submit a list of 10 teams to which he’d be willing to be traded. That’s when his no-movement clause becomes a modified no-trade clause. If the Hawks are looking to add a couple of high-price pieces, then Anisimov — who lost the second-line center job to Nick Schmaltz but still carries a $4.55 million cap hit over the next three years — might become expendable. ‘‘I do not believe [general manager] Stan [Bowman] wants to trade Artem, but he might do so if it is in the long-term interests of the Hawks,’’ Todd Diamond, Anisimov’s agent, said Monday.

Daily Herald

Verdi: Boqvist just the latest link between and Blackhawks

Bob Verdi June 25, 2018

If you want to feel really old, or if you already feel old but want to second your notion, or if you're so old that you forgot how old you are, along comes , whom the Blackhawks drafted eighth overall in Friday night's Draft.

He's 17, and still looks young enough to deliver your newspaper or run the neighborhood lemonade stand. By selecting earlier than they have in ages and much sooner than they want to for years to come, the Blackhawks solved one problem. When called upon to make their pick, at least it wasn't past Boqvist's bed time.

Really now, how many people do you know who were born in 2000?

But have no fear. The Blackhawks are quite familiar with this Swedish prodigy, a right shot who might have been the second-best defenseman available, behind only countryman Rasmus Dahlin, a transformational type taken No. 1 blindfolded by the .

Boqvist, 5-foot-11 and 168 pounds, has some learning and growing to do. But so did Jeremy Roenick, chosen No. 8 by the Blackhawks three decades ago. He was a high school junior, a waif, a longshot who looked like he needed a meal. Roenick became the third American to score 500 goals, and that was before the NHL went with its present style of perpetual motion.

"Erik Karlsson," said Boqvist, when asked about his role model, idol, inspiration. Not a bad choice. Karlsson is a blueline virtuoso for the , the prototypical modern defenseman. Speed, hands, activate or perish. Boqvist just signed another contract with his Brynas junior team back home and figures he's maybe a couple years away from the NHL.

"Pleasantly surprised," said senior vice president/general manager Stan Bowman about Boqvist's availability when the Blackhawks turn arrived. Wait, there's more. , another defenseman, was taken at No. 27. Coming soon to the United Center: the Blackhawks are well fortified with potential at this position.

"We really had a very good night," said Mark Kelley, vice president/Amateur Scouting. "We had Boqvist ranked in our top five and Beaudin in our top 15. They've both got to mature, of course, but both are the kind of player that if you went to watch a game, you would say, 'who's that?' Boqvist has enormous potential. He touches the puck a lot, but not for long. One pass, and he's generating offense. He's got the frame to become naturally stronger and bigger, and the hockey IQ is special."

Last year on draft day, Bowman rocked the scene by dealing Artemi Panarin to the for Brandon Saad and Anton Forsberg. Then Bowman acquired Connor Murphy from the for , a fellow Swede much admired by Boqvist.

"Three Stanley Cups in Chicago for him, right?" said Boqvist. "There have been a lot of Swedish players there. A lot of Swedish people in the city. I spent a week there last year at the draft, when my brother Jesper was selected in the second round by New Jersey, so I know a little bit about Chicago. Tonight, I got a message from . Face time, right after I was picked. Right here (pointing to cellphone). He said he is looking forward to meeting me and playing with me. I am looking forward to meeting him. This is all very exciting, but I have a lot of improving to do with my defensive skills."

So, this is where the Blackhawks came to procure talent Friday night and Saturday. Once, this is where the Blackhawks used to assign the future for grooming.

The Dallas Black Hawks were the premier pipeline of players to Chicago. The Black Hawks were part of a rough and tumble Central Hockey League. They used to be the St. Louis Braves, but when St. Louis joined the NHL as an expansion franchise in 1967, the farm club moved here and became quite an item.

If you were a young player performing well in Dallas, you might get a call to go to Chicago. If you were a young player not really cutting it in Chicago, you would be shipped back to Dallas. Neither direction caused protracted angst among the athletes, all of whom naturally wanted to be in the big show but few of whom minded a tour of duty here in the wild West. The boys of winter enjoyed Dallas.

It wasn't quite like when the White Sox had a farm club in Hawaii, but close. I mean, if you have to play in the minor leagues, Hawaii ain't bad. As one ballplayer remarked, you waited for the phone to ring but sort of hoped it doesn't.

Look at Bob Murray. He used to play defense for Dallas, was promoted to Chicago, where he had an exemplary career, and now he's here as general manager of the . With the Blackhawks, Murray was the perfect partner for Doug Wilson, here as general manager of the San Jose Sharks. Murray, who didn't waste his ability fighting, still logged 130 minutes during his one full season in Dallas because that was the CHL code of conduct.

"Interesting experience," quoth Murray, who can regale you with tales of games against the hated Fort Worth farm club, first named the Wings, then the Texans. Fort Worth was the breeding ground for the Detroit Red Wings, and the rivalry was fierce, even before 10-cent beer night became part of the equation. It wasn't enough that benches often emptied when these two teams met. Why not have chaos in the stands too? In 1972, their thirst quenched, Dallas fans decided to share a few brews with the visiting Wings. The Wings then visited the seating area, but not to say thanks for the refreshments.

Friday night in the American Airlines Center, sheltered from 102 degrees outside, fans from around the NHL observed politely, many in throwback jerseys. Speaking of which, I have neckties older than Adam Boqvist.

The Athletic

Powers: What I’m hearing about the Blackhawks as free agency approaches

Scott Powers June 25, 2018

The Blackhawks had an ordinary draft weekend at least relative to recent years and in terms of dealing with their present roster.

They weren’t involved in any blockbuster trades. They made a couple deals to adjust their draft position, but that was it. They made their eight picks over the two days and went home.

On Sunday, they made a minor move and traded Tanner Kero to the for Michael Chaput.

The Blackhawks are expected to be busier this week. Here’s what I know as of Monday:

• The Blackhawks won’t be a part of the John Tavares sweepstakes, multiple sources have said.

General manager Stan Bowman wouldn’t say Saturday whether the Blackhawks would be involved in the Tavares interviews. Bowman did give a bit of a smile with his answer, so it was unclear where that was heading.

The Blackhawks are out of the discussions due to cap constraints, a source said. Tavares’ next contract is expected to carry a $10-plus million cap hit.

• The Blackhawks aren’t expected to place qualifying offers on Adam Clendening, Anthony Duclair, Tomas Jurco or Chaput before the deadline Monday afternoon, a source said.

The Blackhawks were hoping to move Duclair to another team and had some interest, but nothing had materialized as of Monday morning.

The Blackhawks acquired Duclair from the Arizona Coyotes this past season in exchange for Richard Panik. Duclair had two goals and six assists in 23 games for the Blackhawks before suffering a season-ending injury March 10.

Duclair has arbitration rights and would have likely warranted a cap hit around $1.5 million considering he has scored 20 goals in the past. The Blackhawks would prefer to utilize that roster opening and money elsewhere.

The Blackhawks acquired Jurco from the Detroit Red Wings for a third-round pick in 2017. Jurco had six goals and four assists in 29 games for the Blackhawks last season. He spent most of the season with the Rockford IceHogs.

Clendening was part of the Duclair-Panik trade and joined the organization for the second time. He was a key player for the IceHogs after being acquired but was not recalled by the Blackhawks.

Chaput was just acquired for Kero, but the Blackhawks don’t plan to keep him and will instead use the contract elsewhere, a source said.

• The Blackhawks are still hoping to move Marian Hossa’s contract but have yet to find a suitor.

Hossa, who isn’t expected to play again due to a skin allergy, has three years remaining on his contract and has a cap hit of $5.275 million. He is owed $1 million in salary per year.

The Blackhawks hope there will be a team later this offseason in need of Hossa’s cap hit to get to the new cap floor of $58.8 million. The Blackhawks might have to be patient on that.

• One of the Blackhawks’ focuses so far in free agency is backup goaltending. Carter Hutton is among the players they’re pursuing. NBCSportsChicago.com

The next wave of Blackhawks defensemen is coming

Charlie Roumeliotis June 25, 2018

It seems like yesterday the Blackhawks were scraping for young, impact defensemen prospects. Just one, even.

Oh, how that's changed significantly over the last 12 months.

In 2015 and 2016, the Blackhawks did not own a first-round pick. And before that, they hadn't drafted a defenseman in the first round since Dylan Olsen — 28th overall — in 2009. Luckily, they had already hit on Duncan Keith (second round in 2002) and Brent Seabrook (first round in 2003) in back-to-back drafts, and two years later on Niklas Hjalmarsson (fourth round in 2005).

That was a long time ago. Keith is turning 35 in July and Seabrook turned 33 in April. The Blackhawks have gotten that second wave of talent up front with Alex DeBrincat, Vinnie Hinostroza, Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Sikura. The same can't be said for the defense.

But it's coming.

Since last June, the Blackhawks have added defensemen Henri Jokiharju, Ian Mitchell, Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin to their pipeline and used each of their three first-round picks in the past two drafts to do it. Mitchell was the lone second-round pick, and he had an oustanding freshman season at Denver, meaning he could be ready sooner than later — probably after his sophomore campaign.

Despite the need for defensemen, the Blackhawks never wavered on their draft approach and the desire to add instant help didn't impact how they went about this past weekend. Draft the best player available and you can't go wrong.

The good news for the Blackhawks is, the players that were rated highest on their board when their picks rolled around were positional needs. How fitting.

"Coming into the draft, we're just looking for the best value players we have; guys ranked the highest at their spots," Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said on drafting Boqvist and Beaudin. "It just so happened they're both defensemen, which is great because that's a very important position. I think they're the highest valued assets.

"Calling around this week about potential trades and looking for players and they're the hardest things to find. We didn't draft them just because they're defensemen. We like both of their style of play, their skill set. I think they both play the modern NHL game. Both have bright futures." There are high hopes for all four of them.

Then you look deeper inside the organization and you'll find Gustav Forsling, who was once considered the Blackhawks' top defensive prospect and currently finds himself in the five-spot. Yet, he's the most NHL ready and could have a full-time role with the Blackhawks next season.

Peel the next layer and you'll see Blake Hillman, who showed promise and great situational defensive awareness in his brief stint last season. Dennis Gilbert, who brings size and physicality, offers a different element and will continue his developement with the Rockford IceHogs. And then there's Lucas Carlsson and Carl Dahlstrom, both of whom could make things interesting in training camp.

Suddenly, the Blackhawks are faced with having, what you would call, a good problem to have by putting together one of the best young defensive farm systems in the league.

Now, that's not to say that each of these guys are going to pan out the way the Blackhawks are hoping they will. But you're increasing your chances by collecting a number of players with high-end talent and creating competition.

The real question is when they'll all be ready.

While there may be temptation to push them along to help the Blackhawks in the short term, it's important to resist that because the future on the back end looks promising if they each grow at their own pace.

Boqvist has the potential to be Erik Karlsson as a best-case scenario. Even if he can be half of that, that's a win. Jokiharju's ceiling is whatever he wants it to be, and throwing Boqvist into the mix perhaps alleviates some pressure off his shoulders. Beaudin and Mitchell each have top-four potential and should develop as such.

Knowing what they could be capable of with proper development, there shouldn't be any reason to rush it. Just be excited they're on the way. chicagoblackhawks.com

FEATURE: Blackhawks cross finish line of draft journey

Chris Wescott June 25, 2018

Imagine the moment a team makes their final selection at the draft.

The scouting staff shakes hands, there are smiles all around the table. It feels like they've crossed a finish line in a race that's taken quite a long time to run. And in a lot of ways, they have.

"Today is sort of the culmination of a long process," said Senior Vice President and General Manager Stan Bowman, speaking shortly after a lengthy second day at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The National Hockey League Draft is very much a long-distance, cross-country event in which crossing that finish line brings a sense of accomplishment and optimism.

"It is an exhaustive process, but it's a fun process because you can kind of get yourself to be part of the blueprint of an organization," said Head USA Scout Mike Doneghey. "Thankfully, our management trusts us and I thought we had a pretty good draft."

For the Blackhawks, the starter pistol went off a couple of years ago signaling the start of this process, and now it has reached its conclusion.

"You spend a lot of time (on the draft) and we got guys we really liked," said Bowman. "You're trying to find players you're excited about, and we were able to do that (Friday) and (Saturday). I'm very happy with where we ended up."

"Feeling good," added Vice President of Amateur Scouting Mark Kelley in agreement. "Good day (Friday), followed up with a real good day (Saturday)."

THE UNCERTAINTY

This draft played out well in the minds of the Blackhawks brass, despite some uncertainty early.

Aside from the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes - who were locked on to Rasmus Dahlin and Andrei Svechnikov with the opening two picks - the top of round one was anybody's guess.

"I think everyone knew who was going three through 12, but everyone had it in a different order," said Kelley.

The name to watch became Filip Zadina.

When the talented Czech-born player wasn't the next off the board at three, that's where the fun really began. Jesperi Kotkaniemi went third to Montreal in an expected, although still interesting move. Then Brady Tkachuk, son of Keith, was chosen by Ottawa. Perhaps the biggest surprise was Barrett Hayton, who went next to Arizona. The talented center rose up draft charts to break into the top five, where he was rarely mocked heading into the season. And Zadina, once considered the third-best prospect, was still waiting.

Five picks in, four forwards were gone and only one defenseman.

With such high-end blueline talent still on the board, the Blackhawks were poised to get one of the best at eight. The question was, who would it be?

At six, Zadina found a home with Detroit following his very brief slide, while another forward was crossed off the list.

At seven, Vancouver ended the run on forwards, selecting Quinn Hughes.

The Blackhawks knew what they had to do next with their best player available being Swedish defenseman Adam Boqvist.

EIGHT IS GREAT

Chicago's draft contingent marched to the stage to make their pick, thus inching one mile-marker closer to the finish line.

"Just his ability to impact the game," Kelley said of what made Boqvist the attractive pick. "He's so creative, makes fast plays."

Ranked second among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Boqvist has always been considered near the top of the class in terms of talent and ability.

Albeit on the smaller side, Boqvist has a dynamic ability to move the puck quickly and efficiently, while fueling offensive production for his team.

"Boqvist is a finesse defenseman who is very skilled, possesses excellent vision and tons of talent. He's fun to watch and full of surprises on the ice," said European Scouting Services Goran Stubb.

The Swede has often times been compared to Ottawa captain and Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman Erik Karlsson.

"When you watch him play he's got that style to his game," said Bowman. "I think you can see he sort of patterns his game after Erik and he's honest too. He says, 'I know I'm not Erik Karlsson and I want to be my own player, but I like the way that he plays.' Very likeable guy, upbeat kid, loves to play the game. He's got a passion for hockey, and that's something that's always important because they're going to have to work their way up. Nothing comes easy for players, even guys drafted this high, but you can tell he has the desire to keep getting better and to make it to the NHL." Corey Pronman of The Athletic had Boqvist ranked seventh on his list of prospects.

"His hands and IQ all get very high grades," said Pronman. "He's very skilled and creative with the puck, on top of displaying top-level, if not elite, vision."

One of Boqvist's greatest assets is his age. At only 17, and displaying the kind of natural talent he does, there are many tools to work with and develop - and plenty of time to do so.

BULLISH FOR BEAUDIN

With their second pick in the first round coming up, the Blackhawks reset and waited until number 27 rolled around. When it did, they were very happy to see Drummondville defenseman Nicolas Beaudin still available.

So what made him the logical pick?

"His instincts," Kelley said. "He's really good with the puck. His positioning and his ability to move the puck and his transition game are good."

Pronman's assessment includes more praise for the mental side of Beaudin's game.

"The first thing that stands out about Beaudin is his hockey sense. He's a very composed and aware defender with the puck, who makes plays with pace and displays quality vision."

As another smaller defender, standing at 5'11" and 172 pounds, Beaudin makes up for it with his style of play.

In fact, Bowman described both Boqvist and Beaudin as possessing the skills to play the "modern NHL game."

Two first-round picks for the Blackhawks, two blueliners selected - not by design, but rather opportunity.

"Coming into the draft, we're just looking for the best valued players we had, guys we had ranked the highest in those spots," said Bowman. "It just so happened that they were both defensemen, which is great because it's a very important position.

"I think the highest valued assets - calling around this week about potential trades and looking for players - they're the hardest thing to find. We didn't draft them just because they're defensemen, but we like both of their styles of play and their skill set."

As the Blackhawks left the arena and travelled back to their hotel basecamp Friday evening, they discussed the day and all that they wished to accomplish in the morning. They reviewed the remaining players and headed into Saturday morning with a plan.

LONG TIME COMING

Bowman said Friday night the team would at least explore the possibility of moving up, as they were without a second-round pick - having packaged it with Phillip Danault and given it to Montreal in exchange for Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann back in February of 2016.

With two third-round picks and six total selections remaining in this year's draft, the Blackhawks certainly had the ammunition should they have chosen to move up, but inevitably they chose to wait things out.

In the third round, one name was circled for the Blackhawks at 69th overall, and that was Jake Wise.

"He's just a really smart, two-way centerman," said Kelley.

Wise is a prospect who is the perfect example of how the draft process is a marathon, not a sprint. The Blackhawks interest in Wise dates back to last summer, with a profile on the center being built long before that.

Doneghey and Wise are both from Massachusetts. When Wise was as young as 14, his name was known around the state. As he became an elite high school player, the recognition grew. When he committed to Boston University at a young age, it grew some more.

"Being in the hockey world you get wind of that pretty quick," said Doneghey.

The scout says he knew Wise's character checked out from mutual friends and acquaintances. When they finally met last summer, they hit it off.

From then on the Blackhawks kept tabs on the player.

"He had a great start to the season and then he missed some time," said Kelley.

A collarbone injury derailed a promising season. Doneghey says that had he not missed time and slipped out of the spotlight, Wise might have heard his name called day one of draft weekend.

"This was a kid, that if he didn't get hurt, he's probably a first round pick. He was that highly regarded," Doneghey said.

Wise's bounce back from injury was not lost on the Blackhawks brass, who had texted him words of encouragement while the center sat out games.

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"It was ironic that when he came back, it was the same time Jack Hughes (a 2019 top draft-eligible prospect) joined the team and all of the sudden they had a number one and number two center and the team really took off," said Kelley.

"He's a strong, 200-foot player," added Doneghey. "He's really good on faceoffs. He's always on the right side of the puck offensively and defensively. You can put him in any situation with power play, penalty kill or even strength and he's going to excel. He just thinks the game really fast."

With support and in the right situation, Wise came alive. He finished 2017-18 with 43 points (11G, 32A) in 38 games for the U.S. National Under-18 Team. With all the time spent on scouting Wise and the relationships formed, it's no surprise the young man's smile could be seen from space on draft day.

"I don't know why, but I always had a gut feeling I'd end up in Chicago for whatever reason," he said. "They were the first team I ever talked to last summer. Since then, I really got close to Mike Doneghey. We texted a lot. He helped me out with my collarbone (injury), we talked about that. I just always thought for some reason I'd go there and I couldn't be happier."

Wise is a prospect with a lot to like about his two-way play, and the Blackhawks feel he is the perfect complementary piece to pair with other high-end skill.

MOVING ON UP

Originally saddled with the 87th pick as their next selection, the Blackhawks could not wait to see if their targeted player would be around then. Instead, they packaged that pick with the 142nd to move up to 74 and take right winger Niklas Nordgren.

For the most part, the Blackhawks were willing to see how things fell to them this weekend. But Nordgren's offensive talent was too good to pass up, making his selection the lone exception.

"I think the one time we moved up it was for the winger, Nordgren, who is a great goal scorer," said Bowman. "With the other picks, (it was) just the way it fell."

Nordgren's skill was on full display at the U-18 World Championship, where the Blackhawks, along with the rest of the hockey world, saw the small - but skilled - winger score the game-winning, gold-medal clinching goal for Finland. Nordgren, who says he likes to "score goals" when asked where his offensive instinct comes from, tucked in eight of them at the tournament.

"He has great instincts around the net," said Kelley. "He has a really good stick in traffic. I think if you look at him and track his goals, they're goal-scorer's goals. He gets in the dirt, he's not afraid and he's just got a really great release."

Although Nordgren tabs Ovechkin as his inspiration, you can think of him as more of an Alex DeBrincat type. He may be small in stature, but he has a nose for the net.

"His vision and puck skills are both great, with the ability to be a primary creator of offense and excel on the man advantage," said Pronman of the Finn.

With four selections in the books for Chicago, a theme began to emerge. The club was focused on skill over size. CHANGE OF PHILOSOPHY

The old mandate when teams entered NHL Draft weekend was to come out of it with size. As the league continues to get faster, and as high skill at high speeds is at a premium, teams have shifted that philosophy.

Smaller players have a place in this league, and that place is continuing to gain stature.

"If you look around the league, the way it was probably 10 years ago is different," said Bowman. "I think there were a lot more bigger players drafted. Now it's more about the speed, skill, quickness, playmaking and puck skills. It's a generalization, but generally smaller players tend to have the better skills. You can't have all of one thing, but I think the league is obviously trending that way and we don't have an aversion to that, by any means."

It's not that the Blackhawks went into the weekend thinking small - quite the opposite as aspirations are big - but they came out of the draft with a handful of players who are on the smaller side, including two whom they put an emphasis on acquiring: Boqvist, who went top 10, and Nordgren, whom they traded up for.

When scouting defensemen, the size and physicality took a back seat this year to skill and finesse.

"The philosophy I think has changed… defensemen have to get back quick and have to move the puck quick. It's really a product of the game," said Kelley, speaking specifically of Boqvist, who stands at a mere 6'0" and 165 pounds, according to Central Scouting - a reminder that Karlsson himself was 5'11" and 165 in his draft year.

"The physicality is always nice but the game is getting so fast that sometimes that physicality is not there," said Kelley. "There are six defensemen, so you can still have physicality back there. Somebody has to be able to move the puck, somebody can be physical."

As for Nordgren, his skill in tight spaces and knack for scoring outweighs any size concerns for the 5'9" forward.

MID-ROUND MIDDLE MEN

The mid-to-late rounds are where scouts make their mark.

As the draft rolls along and the rounds advance, a team's scouting department has to find hidden gems. The teams who can find contributors in the later rounds are often those who consistently compete. And teams that can draft center talent are even better off.

Chicago would use their fourth -and fifth-round picks on PWP: pivots with potential.

"We didn't want to take a center just because he was a center," explained Bowman.

"It's hard to trade for centermen and defensemen. You have to draft them, you have to develop them. It takes time, but if you don't start the process you're never going to have them. We ended up with a number of centers today…"

With their lone selection in the fourth round, 120th overall, the club took a swing on 6'0" center Philipp Kurashev.

"He's an interesting one," said Kelley. "He's of Russian parents, grew up in Switzerland, his dad played in Switzerland, and then he's come over and played the last year in Quebec. Really smart, skilled centerman. He's also really strong on his skates."

Draft analysts like Kurashev's combination of skill and intelligence, and Blackhawks scouts liked the year he had in 2017-18.

Kurashev recorded 60 points (19G, 41A) in 59 games for the Remparts, but the staff expects even more progress from the forward heading into the future. "We think he's better acclimated and expect him to have a real good year this year coming back," said Kelley.

The Blackhawks swapped a fifth-round pick in 2019 to move up in the same round this year for Mikael Hakkarainen at 139th overall. The Muskegon center in the USHL is committed to Providence College and what stood out the most on film and when scouting on location was his ability to stand out (stood out then stand out) regardless of his numbers on the box score.

"I think what attracted us to him was when you went and saw him play he got on the scoresheet, but even if he wasn't on the scoresheet you noticed him play," said Kelley. "He played hard. 200-foot (player)."

GOTTA GET A GOALIE

This is the part of the race where the runners grasp a cup of water and hardens themselves for the final push.

"We've thought about it other years too," Bowman said of drafting a goalie.

"I think sometimes when all the guys you like are unavailable at the places you're picking, you don't want to take a goalie just to take him, but Alexis is a guy we think has a lot of potential."

With just two picks left in their arsenal, Bowman and the Blackhawks pulled the trigger on goaltender Alexis Gravel at 162nd overall. Central Scouting's second ranked North American goalie is certainly worth time and investment, which the Blackhawks are willing to give.

"With goalies, you have to be patient with them because they take a little bit longer," Bowman said. "He's got a lot of ability and he's got the size to be an NHL goalie, I think that's part of it. We were happy he was there and we were able to get him."

Gravel is an interesting prospect. His father, Francois, represented France at the 1998 Winter Olympics and he was born in Germany then lived in Italy for a time as Francois continued his career overseas. The younger Gravel has a unique opportunity next season to play for the host team in Halifax of the QMJHL. The experience is expected to help his development.

"He's going to have a great situation," said Kelley. "They're going to host the Memorial Cup next year so we're expecting a big year out of him. He's been a good goaltender. This year, we saw him play some really good games. He's in a good spot. We like the opportunity for him."

CLOSING IT OUT

The final selection the Blackhawks would make on draft weekend was one based on raw talent. In the seventh round, 193rd overall, the club selected Josiah Slavin out of the USHL.

"We like the project there," said Kelley. "We think where he is on the curve, he's going to play another year and then go to Colorado College. We just like the whole project."

When you're picking late, that's what you're getting: a project. But Slavin is intriguing.

The 19-year-old forward is coming off a 23-goal season in the USHL and is committed to the NCAA route. That means he will get plenty of time to develop against older players, which can be beneficial to the prospect.

Shortly after the Blackhawks called Slavin's name, they closed up shop on their draft day duties.

Kelley joked about now having some off-time coming up, following development camp - a chance to catch his breath no doubt.

The mood among scouts and hockey operations leaving Dallas was light and cheerful, a deviation from the business-like manner in which they conducted themselves heading into the weekend.

"When you're (involved in the draft process) for two years and you keep talking about the names, it's almost like groundhog day with meeting after meeting after meeting," said Doneghey. "Then all of the sudden, it's bang, last pick, stop. You look at each other, congratulate each other, say 'good job' and then we're on to the next thing."

At the end of this year's draft, the Blackhawks had achieved a few things.

They added top-end defensive talents to their system, they brought in skill and two-way play up front - including at the all-important center position - and they added a goalie prospect to let percolate for a few years.

These picks won't begin to pay off for the big club for another few seasons, with the focus shifting from scouting these players to developing them.

The passing of the torch from one department to the other has begun, and with that the Blackhawks have crossed the finish line of one journey, while another is just getting started.

"I'm leaving Wednesday and I'm off to Buffalo for the USA 17 Camp for next year's draft and those players," said Doneghey. "Other guys are doing the same thing."

Once again, the starter pistol goes off.

Bang.