Blackhawks don’t win lottery, will pick 11th in NHL draft

The Blackhawks will pick 11th in the 2021 NHL Draft in July after not winning the draft lottery Wednesday.

The Hawks entered Wednesday with a slim 2.7% chance of picking first and 2.9% chance of picking second, the only two spots decided by lottery this year.

They predictably weren’t selected, with the Sabres keeping the No. 1 pick and the expansion Seattle Kraken — which entered in with the third-highest odds — winning the No. 2 pick. The Ducks dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 as a result.

The lack of movement in this year’s lottery greatly contrasted with last year’s lottery, when a placeholder won the No. 1 overall pick before the August playoffs and the Rangers later won a lottery among the qualifying-round losers to occupy that placeholder spot.

The NHL did officially eliminate the Coyotes’ forfeited pick from the nominal order, however, aligning the Hawks’ official pick number with their actual location in the draft order.

And plenty of high-level prospects will be available for the Hawks at 11th, even if they aren’t of the same caliber as the top two picks.

Forwards like Matthew Coronato, Chaz Lucius, Cole Sillinger, Aatu Raty, Xavier Bourgault, Brennan Othmann, Fabian Lysell and Daniil Chayka will all be considered, as will defensemen Corson Ceulemans and Carson Lambos and goaltenders Jesper Wallstedt and Sebastian Cossa.

The Hawks hold eight total picks in the draft, including two second-round selections in addition to 11th overall.