As we inch closer to the end of January, the excitement builds for NHL players to return to the Olympics. But, for fans of teams that don’t have any/many players headed to Italy for the Games, it’s also a fun time to start talking about two other subjects: the trade deadline, and breaking down mock drafts.
I’ve been writing mock drafts throughout the season (my most recent), so don’t worry about my specific picks. We’ll have a fresh on in the coming days (and more during the Olympic break). But Friday brought us the gift of someone else’s 2026 NHL Mock Draft for us to discuss.
This first edition from Steven Ellis at Daily Faceoff is a fun one, too.
Ellis has the Blackhawks selecting sixth (their own pick) and 15th (from Florida) overall.
Before we dive into his picks for the Blackhawks and Ellis’ rationale (with my thoughts on the picks as well), here are his top five selections before the Hawks are on the clock:
Vancouver — Ivar Stenberg, LW St. Louis — Gavin McKenna, LW Calgary — Tynan Lawrence, C Winnipeg — Keaton Verhoeff, RHD NY Rangers — Chase Reid, RHDIt’s important to have those names off the board before we consider who the Blackhawks select sixth overall in his mock draft.
6. Chicago Blackhawks — Ethan Belchetz, LW
Ellis’s comments:
At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds, Belchetz is a human wrecking ball. He’s not your typical power forward – he’s incredibly skilled. The top pick from the 2024 OHL Draft, Belchetz can dominate around the net, and he has a huge shot, too. If the Blackhawks were to draft Belchetz, he could create chaos and take on more physical responsibility alongside someone like Connor Bedard or Frank Nazar.
My two cents: if the draft plays out the way Ellis has it in his mock draft, there would be two names of intrigue at the top of my board: Belchetz and Caleb Malhotra. Both are forwards with a lot of skill and play the game the way the Blackhawks have drafted in recent years. They also both happen to be current teammates of Blackhawks prospects. Belchetz is in Windsor with AJ Spellacy, while a Malhotra selection would make four consecutive years the Blackhawks drafted someone from Brantford (Nick Lardis, Marek Vanacker and Parker Holmes). I can buy all of the rationale Ellis states for the Blackhawks selecting Belchetz here.15. Chicago Blackhawks (from FLA): Viggo Björck, C
Ellis’ comments:
The Hawks already have plenty of centers, but there’s an argument that Björck (or even Anton Frondell) could move to the wing. I love the idea of Björck setting up Bedard on the power play for a one-timer. His numbers in the SHL have been nothing to get too excited about, but his play at the World Juniors – albeit a two-week event – showed what he can do when he’s surrounded by talent. Scouts are really high on him right now.
My two cents: Björck has been a somewhat polarizing prospect over the past months because his skill screams top-ten pick, but his size (5-10, 170) and likely projection on the wing have had some folks ranking him as a mid- to late-first round pick. I think his performance at the World Junior Championship did enough to answer many of the size-related questions, and I actually think he’ll be off the board before the Blackhawks have a chance to pick him with the Panthers pick (unless that somehow moves up into the top 10-12 range). How would Björck fit into the projections of the Blackhawks’ top 6 (9?) forwards? That’s an interesting debate. But the skill package is undeniable at this point.A few noteworthy names I’m following who are still available in Ellis’ mock draft when he has the Blackhawks selecting Björck:
Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA) Ilia Morozov, C, Miami University (NCAA) Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL) Simas Ignatavicius, RW, Geneve Servette (NL)Read Ellis’ entire mock draft here.
2026 NHL Mock Draft, from @SEllisHockey:Gavin McKenna has been the top prospect throughout the year, but is that still the case?And with the first pick, the #Canucks take… t.co/hEYhxdAd8t
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) January 23, 2026Hence then, the article about nhl mock draft season has arrived let s talk about projected blackhawks picks was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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