Blackhawks make 3 picks in 1st round of NHL Draft

(670 The Score) The Blackhawks made quite a splash in the first round of the NHL Draft on Friday evening by selecting three players.

The Blackhawks selected defenseman Artyom Levshunov with the No. 2 overall pick, center Sacha Boisvert with the No. 18 pick and forward Marek Vanacker with the No. 27 pick.

Levshunov, 18, had nine goals and 26 assists in 38 games at Michigan State last season. He's the fourth Belarus native to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft and the highest ever selected.

The addition of Levshunov brings the Blackhawks a prized defenseman prospect for their rebuilding process. Chicago went 23-53-6 last season.

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson turned the duties of announcing the selection of the team's pick to forward Connor Bedard, who on Thursday was named the NHL's Calder Trophy winner as the league's top first-year player.

Bedard was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The Blackhawks selected Boisvert with the No. 18 overall pick, which they acquired from the Islanders in May. Boisvert had 36 goals and 32 assists with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL last season.

Boisvert, 18, models his game after Penguins star Evgeni Malkin.

The Blackhawks traded back into the first round and selected forward Marek Vanacker with the No. 27 overall pick. Chicago dealt picks Nos. 34 and 50 to Carolina to move back into the first round.

Vanacker, 18, had 36 goals and 46 assists with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL last year.

The Blackhawks have four selections remaining in the seven-round NHL Draft, which is taking place at the Sphere in Las Vegas.