If Only Shane Wright Could Become a Chicago Blackhawk

If only the Blackhawks had kept their first round pick for 2022 instead of trading it to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Seth Jones deal... they could have had a shot at winning the draft lottery.

And, we all know what the prize will be for the lucky team who acquires the first overall draft pick. None other than Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL.

He is expected to be a "generational" player which means he can be in the category of a Connor McDavid or say... Auston Matthews. Now, every NHL team certainly can dream about adding Wright to their roster. While just one player, he can assuredly make your team an instant contender.

So, say the Blackhawks didn't trade for Seth Jones and kept their first round pick. If you're into seeing what the chances may have been for the Chicago lottery, you need to go to: tankathon.com and run it for the NHL draft.


This writer did just that, and out of about 16 tries, the Blackhawks pick (which now belongs to the Blue Jackets came up a lottery winner twice! That's not terrible odds by any means.

It is true that Seth Jones has five goals, 42 assists in 66 games, and averages over 26 minutes a game, but he also is a terrible -33 plus/minus stat. That means he's on the ice for a lot of his opponents' goals scored. Not a good stat for a top defenseman. Much of that can be due to his excessive time on the ice.

So, what could a Shane Wright do for the Chicago franchise if by some outlandish stroke of luck he was drafted by the Hawks?

Plenty. Can you imagine having Wright, Kirby Dach, and Philipp Kurashev at center ice? Would that offensive firepower be enough to get them back in the playoffs? You bet it would.

Then again, the 2023 draft is projected to be an excellent draft and the Hawks will have another chance at drafting a player who can help them.

Wright is dominating in the OHL with 28 goals, 56 assists in 58 games. Production like that is always what every NHL team seeks. He will be an instant NHL star. So if the Blue Jackets obtain the first overall pick, compliments of the Hawks, how would the fans in Chicago feel about that?

They can dream, can't they? Or would that senario be called a nightmare?