Who could the Blackhawks take with the No. 25 overall pick?

The Chicago Blackhawks currently have two selections during Friday’s opening round of the 2025 NHL Draft, first at No. 3 and next at No. 25 — barring any trades, of course. This is one of the most open drafts in recent memory, and it’s already difficult to figure out who the Blackhawks might take with their first selection, let alone their second. But let’s take a quick look at some players — broken out by skater position, five each — the Blackhawks could potentially select with their second pick of the first round.

Note: Several of the forwards played both center and wing this season, so we did our best to sort them based on where they are projected to play in the NHL. Also, because of the variable nature of this year’s draft, this list was especially difficult to put together, and as a result, there are likely some on here that will go much higher or lower than the 20s. Thanks to Zack/Soft Serve Scouting for helping construct this list: we tried to balance who we liked with who we think the Blackhawks might target.

Centers

Braeden Cootes

Age: 18 (Feb 09, 2007)Hometown: Sherwood Park, AB, CANHeight: 6-footWeight: 183 poundsShoots: RightTeam: Seattle Thunderbirds (OHL)Production: 63 points (26 G, 37 A) in 60 regular season games | 8 points (2 G, 6 A) in 6 playoff games

Scouting reports:

A one-man forecheck, Cootes’ motor and energy are undeniably elite. In a single shift, he can amass multiple retrievals, guiding opponents into a big hit, spinning off a check and passing, winning another race by obtaining inside position well before the boards, and repeating over and over until the puck finds twine. Primarily a playmaker, he escapes with quick passes inside and occasionally deceives opponents to find a backdoor option. After passing, he dashes to the net to create traffic and collect loose pucks.
— EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide

Cootes is a well-liked, well-rounded center who played in all situations for Seattle this season, was named co-captain in the fall and led the low-scoring Thunderbirds in scoring at just above a point per game… He’s a strong skater who plays with energy and detail, earning the trust of coaches with his diligent, complete game. He’s a good athlete. He plays the game with determination. He’s a good penalty killer and five-on-five driver. He plays the bumper on the power play well because of his nose for the net and competitiveness to get to pucks… He always seems to be lurking around the slot and involved in everything. He works and makes little plays, arriving on time in good spots. I’ve wondered throughout this year about whether he has enough skill to become a top-six type but there aren’t many players in this draft that confidently project as top-nine NHLers and he looks like one… He’s got some secondary skill and can make plays, even if it’s not the focal point of his game and he becomes more of an excellent complementary player for his linemates. He could go as high as the teens but I’m just a little lower on him.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

Cootes is a coach’s dream who leans on his effort, compete, and character to make an impact seemingly every shift. As such, he was a captain at 17 with Seattle and was also Canada’s captain at the 2025 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. His skating and defensive acumen also stand out in the class, an extension of his compete. His feet are always moving and he’s always making an effort to squash plays to turn the puck up ice. He’s got the foot speed to get up and down the ice efficiently, allowing him to make more of a 200-foot impact… His engine is always going which leads to him winning battles non-stop, being impactful all over the ice, and being able to remain effective when the game tightens up. Cootes also has an edge to his game that you love to see. Those intangibles create a great baseline for him once he enters the NHL.
— Kareem Elshafey, FCHockey