Blackhawks hope to add franchise-altering player with No. 3 pick

Years from now we are going to look back on June 21, 2019 as one of the defining moments in Chicago Blackhawks history.

One that gives Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook the opportunity to close out their careers with multiple championships.

One that will tempt high-level free agents to sign in Chicago.

And one that will turn Jeremy Colliton into one of the top coaches in the league.

These facts obviously aren't set in stone - there's always potential for disaster - but using recent history as a guide, the Hawks are about to add a franchise-altering player when they pick third overall in the NHL Draft on Friday.

What kind of player might center Alex Turcotte, defenseman Bowen Byram or any number of others turn into? Well, looking at the last 10 years of No. 3 picks, fans have a right to be salivating.

• In 2009, Colorado took Matt Duchene and he has gone on to post seven 20-goal campaigns. Last season he scored 31 goals and should command around $9 million a year as an unrestricted free agent.

• Leon Draisaitl, taken by Edmonton in 2014, racked up a whopping 50 goals and added 55 assists in 2018-19.

• Dylan Strome's career got off to a slow start in Arizona, but was reunited with good buddy Alex DeBrincat and should be a cornerstone of the Hawks for years to come.

• Pierre-Luc Dubois has 47 goals and 62 assists in two seasons with Columbus.

• Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who scored 12 goals and averaged more than 23 minutes as a rookie last season, will be wreaking havoc for a long time in the Central Division.

And those are just examples from the last 10 drafts. Let's not forget the Hawks took Jonathan Toews third overall in 2006 and all he's done is captain the team to three Stanley Cup titles while scoring 327 goals and dishing out 428 assists in 873 games.

So are your juices flowing yet? Ready to fast-forward to Oct. 4 when the Hawks open the season in Prague against the Flyers?

(One thing to remember, though: While Byram could help a team next season, most of the other players the Hawks might select will spend a year in college).

This pick has the potential - and I emphasize potential - to do for the Hawks what the 1997 NBA draft did for the San Antonio Spurs. Those of you 30 or older should remember that after the Spurs went 20-62 in 1996-97 without an injured David Robinson, they had the good fortune of taking Tim Duncan with the No. 1 pick.

San Antonio proceeded to win NBA titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.

Granted, it's not totally an apples-to-apples comparison.

But if this player turns into a star AND Bowman adds the correct pieces in free agency over the next couple of years, the Hawks should be a force to be reckoned with for at least the next decade.

• Follow John on Twitter @johndietzdh