NHL mock draft: Final projections for every first-round pick

27. Chicago Blackhawks – C Jack Drury

The Chicago Blackhawks will target a defenseman with their first pick the first round, leaving the door open for them to get a forward with their second. The Blackhawks are another team who will need an overhaul of their roster sooner than later. Jack Drury is a project; he will not be ready to play right away. This fits the Blackhawks’ timeline, because they will likely keep their core together for a few more seasons. There are plenty of center prospects in the Chicago system, but none of them are true blue chip prospects that can be counted on in the future.

If Jack Drury’s last name sounds familiar, it is. His uncle is Chris Drury, who had a great career and is starting to build a name for himself off the ice in the New York Rangers front office. His father is Jack Drury ,who built a pretty decent NHL career all on his own. Jack will be determined to carve out his own legacy. This might be a little early for Drury to be drafted but he is a very safe prospect. Safe means that he is very intelligent and always makes the right play. In his second season in the USHL Drury picked up 65 points in 56 games for the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Drury needs to improve his skating to make it at the next level. He has all of the other tools to be effective. He can break down the play from every section of the ice. Drury knows how to make the correct play and rarely gets it wrong. The other thing that makes Drury an exciting prospect is the fact he can play anywhere in the lineup. It does not matter if it is the top line going against the best defensive pair from the other team or grinding out minutes on the third line.