The Chicago Blackhawks made a rather intriguing decision during the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Chicago traded back into the first round with the Carolina Hurricanes. With the 29th pick of the draft, general manager Kyle Davidson selected high school center Mason West.
West had a lot of buzz around him potentially going in the first round leading up to the draft. He brings a size and skill combination few players can provide. However, teams are wary about his commitment to hockey, as he plans to play high school football in the fall.
Davidson was not deterred in the slightest. He believes in the player and the sort of talent he could become. As a result, the Blackhawks general manager decided to take a swing for the fences, trading two picks in 2025 and a 2027 pick to land a player who could become valuable to the NHL roster down the line.
“I just really wanted to get back into the first round and take what I thought was a grand-slam hack,” Davidson said, via Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I was swinging for the fences and figured, ‘Why not? Let’s go for a big one here.’ So that’s what I did.”
What Mason West Brings to Blackhawks
Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesThe Chicago Blackhawks believe they landed a gem in Mason West.
West is the first to admit that he’s still raw as a prospect. There is a lot of work ahead of him if he’s to become an impact player at the NHL level. However, the Blackhawks draft pick believes he has a lot of tools that can allow him to stand above his peers.
“I think I have really good sense and vision,” West said, via Pope. “I want to be a playmaker, I want to score, I want to hit, I want to be a physical player on the ice. But I kind of want to be a unique player, in the sense of trying to find it hard to compare guys to me.”
West is headed to a Blackhawks team focusing on its player development. Chicago has done well with the likes of Frank Nazar, Alex Vlasic, and Sam Rinzel, to name a few. Of course, Connor Bedard is emerging as the franchise cornerstone they envisioned. The Blackhawks hope this environment can help West become a star in his own right.
Kyle Davidson’s Evaluation of West
Sometimes, players are drafted less on their production and more on their toolkit. West does have impressive production for the high school level. But his physical tools are what set him apart from the rest.
“The raw tools are just something you don’t see that often,” Davidson said, via Pope. “He’s probably available at that point because he’s behind the curve. He’s not quite dedicated himself 100% to hockey. But at that size, that athleticism, that skating ability [and] that talent, the sky is the limit.”
The Blackhawks have six picks remaining in the 2025 NHL Draft. This allows them to add further talent to their prospect pipeline. And they have a chance to add more support around the potential stars of tomorrow on Saturday.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Why Blackhawks GM Took ‘Grand Slam Hack’ in 2025 NHL Draft appeared first on Heavy Sports.