Blackhawks take goalie with first pick of Day 2
The Blackhawks addressed their long-term need for a goalie by selecting Drew Commesso with the 46th overall selection of the 2020 NHL draft Wednesday.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Commesso was generally considered the second or third best goalie available, although most mock drafts didn't have him being selected so early.
Commesso grew up in Massachusetts, so it should come as no surprise that he was a "big Bruins fan" and that the 2013 Stanley Cup Final left an indelible mark on the then 11-year-old.
"I remember the pain watching that and watching (the Hawks) score a few quick ones," Commesso said of the infamous 17 seconds that lifted Joel Quenneville's team to the title. "Happy to root for the Blackhawks now.
"But back then - just being such a hard-core Bruins fan (and) knowing we were so close to doing it again - yeah, that was definitely pretty painful. I'm pretty sure I cried during it."
The 18-year-old was all smiles Wednesday, though. The sharply dressed young man - he faced reporters in a suit and tie during his Zoom call - described himself as a calm netminder who doesn't need to make the sprawling, highlight reel save very often.
"I try to just simplify the game as much as possible and be very efficient," said Commesso, who posted a .920 save percentage and 2.05 goals-against average with the U.S. National Under-18 team last season. "That really helps my team a lot, just knowing that in the hectic moments of the game (they can be) looking back and knowing I have everything under control."
Commesso is a freshman at Boston University, which has a reputation for developing goalies into high-quality NHL players.
"He's in a really good development position," said Hawks VP of amateur scouting Mark Kelley: "He's a bright kid. He's a student of the game.
"A lot of times we don't talk about the goaltender's hockey sense. But with Drew it's obvious that he understands how the play develops. So I think that bodes well for him."
This is the fourth earliest the Hawks have taken a goalie in their history. Only Jimmy Waite (No. 8, 1987), Adam Munro (No. 29, 2001) and Mike Veisor (No. 45, 1972) were taken sooner. The last time the Hawks took a goalie before the third round was in 2010 when they selected Kent Simpson 58th overall. He played in one NHL game.
Commesso didn't start playing goalie until he was 10. After failing to make a club team in Boston, he only qualified as an alternate the next season. The goalie on that team was often absent, however, and that's when Commesso decided to step between the pipes.
Commesso grew up idolizing Tim Thomas, but says his game is comparable to Philadelphia's Carter Hart. He hopes to grow his game over the next few years at Boston by working on his rebound control and skating.
Of all the players the Hawks selected Wednesday, Kelley was most nervous that Commesso would be taken before their pick came up.
"We were very, very concerned on Commesso to start," Kelley said. "There (were) a few teams that had multiple picks. We knew that once a goaltenders start getting picked, we know they're gonna go."
Other picks:
The Hawks selected forward Landon Slaggert and defenseman Wyatt Kaiser in the third round (79th and 81st overall). The 6-foot, 180-pound Slaggert is a South Bend, Indiana native who grew up rooting for the Red Wings but switched allegiances to the Hawks when they started getting hot in about 2009.
"I bring a lot of energy on the ice and I'm a tough player to play against," said Slaggert, who is currently attending Notre Dame.
Three of the Hawks' final four picks were stay-at-home defensemen, which isn't a surprise considering how stacked the team is with offensive-minded blue liners.
"Obviously at that point of the draft, we're starting to look at the depth chart," Kelley said. "It does play a part. We have some mobile, puck-moving, puck-carrying defensemen, so these guys all probably fit that good partner mode."
Qualifying offers:
According to reports, the Hawks have extended qualifying offers to restricted free-agent forwards Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome. They did not do so with goalie Malcolm Subban or defenseman Slater Koekkoek, making them unrestricted free agents.
Blackhawks draft capsules
<b>Round 2 (46th pick)</b>Name, position: Drew Commesso, goalie
Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 180 pounds
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
By the numbers: 18-7-1, 2.05 goals against average, .920 save percentage with U.S. National Under-18 team
Scouting report: "Commesso plays a more aggressive game inherently, but he does a great job staying on top of plays and reading through traffic. He rarely gets caught moving across the crease, owning every inch of space with confidence. He skates at a higher level than most of his fellow draft-eligibles.
- Elite Prospects draft guide
He said it: "I talked with the Blackhawks a lot. They're a world-class organization. They brought us out to dinner and stuff. I couldn't say good enough things about their scouting department. I'm just really excited to be a Blackhawk." - Commesso
Quick hit: Will play for Boston University
<b>Round 3 (79th pick)</b>Name, position: Landon Slaggert, forward
Height, weight: 6-0, 182 pounds
Hometown: South Bend, Indiana
By the numbers: 13 goals, 11 assists in 47 games with U.S. National Under-18 team
Scouting report: "Slaggert had a strong second half in which he reinforced his reputation as being more than just a crash-and-bang support player. Not only did he contribute in his own end on a consistent basis, but his 13 tallies ranked fifth while operating in a goal-scoring-by-committee attack. Slaggert, who can play center or wing, also proved his mettle against tough NCAA opposition, scoring 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) in his final seven games against college competition.
- Steve Kournianos, thedraftanalyst.com
Quick hit: Slaggert's first team he rooted for was the Detroit Red Wings, but he later became a Blackhawks fan.
He said it: "Growing up in the 07-08 era, the Red Wings were a pretty hot team at the time. So it was kind of easy to root for them. Then the Blackhawks started to get hot, so I kind of jumped on the bandwagon. … I don't think my dad was too happy about it." - Slaggert
<b>Round 3 (81st pick)</b>Name, position: Wyatt Kaiser, defenseman
Height, weight: 6-0, 172 pounds
Hometown: Ham Lake, Minnesota
By the numbers: no goals, 3 assists in 11 games with Dubuque of USHL
Scouting report: "Kaiser's speed, edge work, and ability to maneuver in tight spaces offer him a great deal of escapability under pressure. … Has a sophisticated understanding of bank passes; he uses angles expertly."
- Elite Prospects draft guide
Said Kaiser, who grew up a huge fan of the Wild: "I was just super excited to get drafted by Chicago. Such a great organization. … The Wild have been kind of always letting me down lately."
<b>Round 4 (110th pick)</b>Name, position: Michael Krutil, defenseman
Height, weight: 6-1, 187; Hometown: Praha, Czech Republic
Scouting report: "His passing is very good and he can get the puck out of the zone to forwards safely and with ease. He is also a player that likes to get physical and he can lay a good hit if he thinks it's the correct decision to make in that situation."
- Samuel Tirpak, dobberprospects.com
<b>Round 5 (146th pick)</b>Name, position: Isaak Phillips, defenseman
Height, weight: 6-3, 194; Hometown: Barrie, Ontario
Stats: 9 goals, 17 assists in 63 games for Sudbury of OHL
He said it: "We would go up to watch (Quinton) Byfield, Jack Thompson. In watching them, it was like, 'Who's this guy?' He always caught our eye. Athletic, very good skater. Very, very competitive. He just has a great presence on the ice." - Hawks VP of amateur scouting Mark Kelley
Quick hit: Grew up a Maple Leafs fan. Idolized P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds and Erik Karlsson.
<b>Round 6 (172nd pick)</b>Name, position: Chad Yetman, center
Height, weight: 5-11, 179; Hometown: Whitbury, Ontario
Stats: 43G, 31A in 61 GP for Erie of OHL
He said it: "My wrist shot is my strength. I think I have a deceptive release and can trick goalies. It's something I've worked on in my whole junior career." - Yetman
<b>Round 7 (188th pick)</b>Name, position: Louis Crevier, defenseman
Height, weight: 6-7, 216; Hometown: Quebec
Stats: 10G, 11A in 59 GP for Chicoutimi in QMJHL last season
Quick hit: Hawks traded 7th-round pick next season to Montreal to make this selection