Blackhawks’ newest NHL Draft intel sets up Chicago fans for a nailbiter

The Chicago Blackhawks own the fourth overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft, and it seems pretty clear who they would prefer at their selection: Swedish wing Ivar Stenberg.

Blackhawks fans have been clamoring for Stenberg, who put on quite a show at the World Championships and has already drawn comparisons to Detroit Red Wings star Lucas Raymond. But will Stenberg actually be available for Chicago at No. 4?

That’s the million-dollar question as the draft quickly approaches.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to select Gavin McKenna with the top overall selection, but after that, things get a bit spooky for the Blackhawks. The San Jose Sharks seem inclined to take defenseman Chase Reid, and the Vancouver Canucks may end up nabbing Caleb Malhotra, the son of their new head coach, Manny Malhotra.

That would leave Stenberg for Chicago … but it might not be that simple.

Chicago Blackhawks could lose out on Ivar Stenberg

Stenberg was certainly a big story at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, and the problem for the Blackhawks is that both the Sharks and Canucks have expressed serious interest in the 18-year-old.

“So what stands between the Hawks and Stenberg? It’s really just the Sharks and Canucks, who hold the second and third picks and who took Stenberg out to dinners this week in Buffalo,” wrote Ben Pope of The Chicago Sun-Times. “It appears increasingly plausible that Stenberg, Reid and center Caleb Malhotra might be the 2-3-4 picks in some order, leaving the Hawks to take the last one remaining at No. 4.”

Given Stenberg’s immense talent, is it actually realistic to think that both San Jose and Vancouver will pass on him?

Well, the good news for Chicago is that the Sharks are in dire need of help with their blue line, so Reid could very well be the pick there. And while you would hate to accuse anyone of nepotism, can you really imagine Manny Malhotra snubbing his own uber-talented son at No. 3?

The Canucks’ decision to hire Malhotra may have been the best thing that could have happened to the Blackhawks, as it could give them the inside track to landing Stenberg … but that’s assuming that San Jose goes the conventional route and selects Reid.

We’ll see what happens later this month, but one thing is for sure: Hawks fans are in for a nailbiter.

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