Corey Pronman previews 2026 NHL Draft class, Blackhawks options at No. 4 overall
About this episode
Corey Pronman discusses the 2026 NHL Draft class and the Blackhawks' options with the No. 4 overall pick.
On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis are joined by The Athletic's NHL Draft expert Corey Pronman to preview the 2026 NHL Draft and break down the Blackhawks' options with the No. 4 overall pick. Pronman explains why several players occupied his No. 1 spot throughout the season and why he ultimately ranked defenseman Chase Reid barely ahead of consensus top prospect Gavin McKenna in his final rankings. He also discusses the five players he has in his Tier 1 rankings. If the top three forwards are off the board, should the Blackhawks feel comfortable selecting Reid despite already having two high-end right-shot defense prospects in Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel? Could Reid ultimately be the best of the trio? And is McKenna truly a lock to go No. 1 overall or could there be a surprise at the top of the draft? The conversation also turns to Ivar Stenberg, who has been mocked to the Blackhawks by many analysts. How realistic is that scenario, and how does Pronman expect the top of the draft to unfold? He also shares his NHL comparable for Stenberg. Plus, if San Jose selects a defenseman at No. 2 and Vancouver is deciding between…
People in this episode
Hosts: Pat Boyle, Charlie Roumeliotis
Guest: Corey Pronman
Topics covered
- 2026 NHL Draft
- Blackhawks options
- NHL Draft rankings
- prospect analysis
- defenseman prospects
- draft predictions
Keywords
- NHL Draft
- Blackhawks
- Chase Reid
- Gavin McKenna
- Ivar Stenberg
- Caleb Malhotra
- prospects
- draft analysis
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Athletic, San Jose, Vancouver
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