Ranking Chicago Blackhawks' all-time top 5 strongest NHL draft classes

The Chicago Blackhawks hit the 2025 NHL draft with the third-overall pick. For most teams, a high pick such as that offers an opportunity to radically transform the club by adding a potential franchise player.

The Blackhawks have picked in the top three in each of the last three seasons. The talent the team has accrued could turn the franchise into another powerhouse like the 2010s. So, it’s worth looking at how the Blackhawks have done in previous drafts.

Spoiler alert: The 1980s and 1990s weren’t so good. That’s why the bulk of the draft classes in this list come in the 2000s.

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Top 5 Chicago Blackhawks' strongest draft classes

#5 1980

Let’s start with the 1980 draft class. The Chicago Blackhawks had the third-overall pick, selecting Denis Savard with the pick. Savard played with the Blackhawks from 1980 to 1990, made stops in Montreal and Tampa Bay before finishing his career in Chicago from 1994 to 1997. Savard played in 1,196 games, scoring 473 goals and 1,338 points.

The Blackhawks also selected Steve Larmer with the 120th pick in the sixth round. He played with the Hawks from 1981 to 1993. He topped 40 goals five times with the Blackhawks before moving to the New York Rangers.

The Blackhawks selected Troy Murray with the 57th pick, who played in over 900 NHL games. The club picked five other players that year who went on to play at least 100 NHL games.

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#4 2003

The 2003 Chicago Blackhawks draft class saw the team pick defenseman Brent Seabrook with the 14th overall pick. Seabrook played over 1,110 games with the Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cups.

The Hawks picked goaltender Corey Crawford with the 52nd pick. He played his entire career in Chicago, winning two Cups.

Another interesting pick was Dustin Byfuglien. His time was brief in Chicago. He was on the 2010 championship team before moving on to the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets.

#3 2011

In 2011, the Blackhawks picked Mark McNeill with the 18th overall pick. McNeill played two games and was done.

Their second-round pick, Phillip Danault, has played in over 700 games. However, he was traded to Montreal after parts of two seasons in Chicago.

The Blackhawks’ other second-rounder was Brandon Saad. Saad was on the 2013 and 2015 championship teams. He’s had two stints in Chicago. He is currently playing with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Forward Andrew Shaw is a notable pick, going 139th overall. He played in over 500 NHL games with the Blackhawks and Canadiens.

#2 2020

The 2020 draft class features some of the most promising young players for the Chicago Blackhawks at the moment.

The Hawks took Lukas Reichel with the 17th overall pick. He’s already played in 169 games, scoring 20 goals and 54 points.

The rest of the class includes players who’ve played some sort of role with the team. Landon Slaggert and Wyatt Kaiser were third-rounders, while fifth-rounder Isaak Phillips and seventh-rounder Louis Crevier have suited up for 56 games apiece.

The other player to crack the Chicago Blackhawks’ lineup is goaltender Drew Commesso, making two NHL appearances.

#1 2006/2007

In general terms, the 2026 and 2007 draft classes were awful for Chicago. The 2006 class saw the Blackhawks take nine players, with only two making it to the NHL. One was Jonathan Toews. The other was Peter Leblanc, who played in just one game, and it was with the Washington Capitals.

The 2007 class was equally bad. The Blackhawks had the number-one overall pick and used it on a fella named Patrick Kane. The six other players selected combined for 10 total NHL games.

The Toews-Kane picks top the list as they set up the Chicago Blackhawks’ core for their three Stanley Cup runs of the 2010s.