Corey Pronman previews 2026 NHL Draft class, Blackhawks options at No. 4 overall

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 Stenberg and Caleb Malhotra at No. 3, would the Canucks really choose Malhotra, as some reports suggest? Pronman explains what fueled Malhotra's rise into the top-five conversation.

Finally, Pronman weighs in on the dramatic transformation of the Blackhawks' prospect pipeline, from one of the NHL's weakest just four years ago to arguably its deepest since GM Kyle Davidson launched the rebuild in 2022.

Pat and Charlie close out the episode by reacting to Pronman's insights before discussing the fallout from NHL insider Frank Seravalli's report on Connor Bedard's contract negotiations from last week's episode and explaining why Blackhawks fans shouldn't be concerned.