Analyzing Blackhawks’ draft options: Could Ivar Stenberg fall to No. 4 pick?

The Blackhawks will take their time finalizing their prospect rankings before the NHL Draft on June 26. General manager Kyle Davidson has learned there’s no need to rush that process.

But they also will have to read and react to decisions made by the three teams picking ahead of them — the Maple Leafs, Sharks and Canucks — after falling to the No. 4 pick in the draft lottery Tuesday.

This might not be an awful year for that, however. Chris Peters, the prospect scouting expert for FloHockey, considers this draft class weaker than average. He doesn’t think there are any Connor Bedard-level stars at the top, either.

‘‘It’s a tough year to get a real feel for the overall quality,’’ Peters said. ‘‘This is one of those years where it feels like the best player might not come from the top pick.’’

Here’s Peters’ analysis of the Hawks’ options at No. 4:

Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda (Sweden)

Stenberg, the consensus second-best prospect (behind Gavin McKenna) in most public rankings, initially seemed out of the Hawks’ reach after the lottery. But that might not be true.

The Sharks, picking second, need an elite defenseman to complete their impressive young core. The Canucks, picking third, have been strongly linked to Caleb Malhotra, in part because his dad, Manny, is their AHL coach.

Many mock drafts, including Peters’ latest, project the Sharks and Canucks to pass on Stenberg, allowing him to fall into the Hawks’ laps. They would be giddy about that.

‘‘[Stenberg is] a really good stylistic fit in terms of the way he plays and the way Chicago is going,’’ Peters said. ‘‘He’s not a big guy, but he’s very fast, competitive, skilled and tenacious. … Sometimes he’ll take you out of your seat, and other times he’s just making the simple, right play.’’

Stenberg enjoyed one of the best seasons ever by a teenager in the Swedish league with 33 points in 43 games, notching more points (but fewer goals) than Hawks prospect Anton Frondell. He was also Sweden’s top scorer in the world junior championships, helping the country win a gold medal.

McKenna and Stenberg are both 5-11, but Stenberg is physically stronger and rarely gets stuck on the perimeter the way McKenna does (although McKenna’s offensive skills are more dynamic).

‘‘[Stenberg is] not afraid to go to any of the hard areas,’’ Peters said. ‘‘He’s not afraid to take a hit to make a play. He’ll dig that puck out, and he’s got the hands to do something with it.’’

Stenberg isn’t under contract with Frolunda for next season, so he could jump to North America and compete for an NHL job right away.

Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)

An electric second half rapidly pushed Malhotra up draft rankings.

‘‘In a year where we were very concerned . . . if there was a center worthy of being a top-five pick, we have one here in Malhotra,’’ Peters said.

Malhotra ranked second on Brantford with 84 points in 67 games, behind Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien (the No. 8 pick last year) but ahead of Hawks prospect Marek Vanacker (No. 27 in 2024).

The Hawks watched Malhotra a lot this season because of Vanacker, whose 47 goals dwarfed Malhotra’s 29 and O’Brien’s 28. They saw Malhotra go berserk in the OHL playoffs with 26 points (including 13 goals) in 15 games. They should know his game intimately.

Malhotra is less pro-ready than Stenberg. He’s committed to Boston University and will need at least one, if not two, college seasons to develop.

But he is bigger (6-2) and plays an equally ‘‘mature’’ game, Peters said. And beyond his offensive contributions, he can kill penalties and take faceoffs.

Chase Reid, RD, Soo (OHL)

Opinions vary about the best defenseman in the class, but Reid passed Keaton Verhoeff as the majority opinion over the course of the season.

Reid (6-2, 195 pounds) has enjoyed a meteoric rise since playing Tier II junior hockey as recently as fall 2024. He was the OHL’s most-used defenseman this season, averaging 27-28 minutes, and he produced more than a point per game (48 in 45).

‘‘He’s a workhorse, he’s got a great athletic toolkit, he’s got a great mentality and he’s only scratching the surface of what he could be,’’ Peters said. ‘‘The modern NHL requires strong puck-moving defensemen, so that puts a premium on guys like him.’’

For the Hawks, there would be one possible reason for hesitation: Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel are offensive right-handed defensemen, just like Reid.

‘‘If you project him to be better than either [Levshunov or Rinzel], then I don’t think it should [stop them],’’ Peters said. ‘‘Now you’re working on a gigantic surplus of something that everybody wants.’’

Reid will play next season at Michigan State, where he’ll be part of the same freshman class as Hawks forward prospect Mason West.

Carson Carels, LD, Prince George (WHL)

Carels matches the Hawks’ needs better as a defensive-leaning, left-handed defenseman. His work ethic is acclaimed, and the Hawks usually value that highly, too.

‘‘If the forwards are gone, [the Hawks] have to at least consider it,’’ Peters said. ‘‘[In terms of] team fit, I think he makes a ton of sense. … He’s good enough offensively, but he’s better in the defensive zone than [Reid and Verhoeff].’’

Carels (6-2, 198 pounds) had 73 points in 58 games for Prince George this season, although that production might have been driven more by hockey IQ and smart decision-making than by dynamic skill. He surpassed Verhoeff on Canada’s depth chart during the world junior championships.

Peters thinks Carels likely will move to the NCAA next season, even though he hasn’t committed to a school yet.

Keaton Verhoeff, RD, North Dakota (NCAA)

Old-school hockey fans love Verhoeff’s huge body (6-3, 208 pounds) and willingness to use it.

That has given Verhoeff a reputation as a stout defensive defenseman, but Peters thought his subpar defensive awareness and decision-making got exposed at North Dakota this season. He had 20 points in 36 games and struggled noticeably during the NCAA Tournament.

‘‘We got to see where some of the holes are,’’ Peters said. ‘‘There are some concerns about hockey sense. That’s where you start saying, ‘Maybe he’s not a top-five guy.’ ’’

Verhoeff’s skating also is debated. Some experts criticize his backward and lateral mobility and clumsy changes of direction, but Peters thinks his skating is fine.

Alberts Smits, LD, Jukurit (Finland)

Not many prospects enter the draft having already faced the best players in the world, but Smits has, having served as Latvia’s top defenseman in the Olympics. He also faced pros in Finnish and German leagues this season.

Peters describes Smits as the most NHL-ready defenseman in the class. He’s left-handed, big (6-3, 205) and poised. But his upside, particularly offensively, is lower than that of his peers.

Meanwhile, if the Hawks are dead-set on drafting a forward and McKenna, Stenberg and Malhotra go 1-2-3, it’s worth mentioning the next-best forwards in the class: Viggo Bjorck, Ethan Belchetz and Tynan Lawrence.

Bjorck is a small, intelligent center. Belchetz is a punishing 6-5 winger. Lawrence, a center, piqued the Hawks’ interest during the first half of his season at Boston University before plateauing during the second half. They all would represent reaches at No. 4.