Updated: Mar 22
Another gloomy year in San Jose means another top three pick in the draft, but after winning last year's NHL draft lottery, winning the rights to take the generational prospect Macklin Celebrini, despite being bottom of the standings this season, they wouldn't mind losing the draft lottery all together. Here’s why.
With the 2024/25 season coming to a close, it's once again the Chicago Blackhawks and the San Jose Sharks who are sitting in the bottom two, but differently to previous years the result of the famous NHL draft lottery isn't particularly a worry for any of these teams.
Having both won one of the last two draft lotteries, securing themselves each a generational talent in Bedard and Celebrini, this year is both teams have very different targets meaning regardless of the outcome, had both teams find themselves in the top two spots of the draft, it's a win in both their eyes. After picking Macklin Celebrini in 2024, and Will Smith in 2023 the Sharks patched up a big need for the team at the centre position, but in this year's draft will 100% have their sights set on universal talent defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Schaefer is most likely the player on top of every scout, fan, and management list, but probably not in Chicago. In last year's draft the Blackhawks took a big risk and passed up on Russian starlet Ivan Demidov, opting for Belarusian defenseman Artyom Levshunov from Michigan State instead with the second overall pick meaning Schaefer is probably the third or even fourth option on their draft board. The Saginaw Spirit’s Michael Misa or Boston College’s James Hagens will definitely be the first two names on Chicago’s 2025 draft board meaning their hopes of securing the number one pick isn't a particular worry.
With the Sharks set on Schaefer, and the Blackhawks set on Misa or Hagens, it is almost as if this year's draft has two number one overall picks, with both teams having they end up in the top two getting their guy. Although it's never a guarantee to assume any player will go number one or even number two, it's clear and obvious both teams have very different needs, and if one team wins the number one over the other, it's no problem for either of them.
Had the Sharks find themselves within the top two come the draft lottery, Schaefer will 100% be their pick. Despite picking up Sam Dickinson from the London Knights in last year's draft, Schaefer is a prospect they just cannot pass up on in their current situation. With an aging defense consisting of Marc Edouard Vlasic and Mario Ferraro, the Sharks will jump at the opportunity to draft an NHL ready star like Schaefer, and will set up their rebuild nicely with a good balance of talented youth across the board.
Differently with the Blackhawks, recent defenseman picks like Korchinski and Levshunov, as well as already top four level defenseman in Alex Vlasic, the Blackhawks will most likely look to add some NHL ready firepower on the offense to give Bedard some much needed help, a player like Misa or Hagens being the likely suitors. The Blackhawks would probably have not wanted to see themselves in the top two of the draft again, but with another bit of the cherry in the top two for the third year in a row, they could do some serious upgrades to their struggling offense.
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