The NHL draft is never boring. Aside from teams working hard to select the right players, there is the ongoing poker game between GMs. Guys always try to bet, bluff, and outmaneuver each other to find the best value with each pick. Sometimes you have to throw extra money into the pot to win a hand. That is what it felt like the Chicago Blackhawks did when they traded up for high school star Mason West in the 1st round. It was a genuine surprise. GM Kyle Davidson had already selected two players by that point. It didn't feel necessary to jump up for another.
He later explained that West's talent was way too good to pass up. The kid isn't even fully committed to hockey yet. He's playing football as well. After finishing his senior year, he plans to attend Michigan State. There is no question that the pick comes with tons of projection. Still, the Blackhawks felt it was worth the risk. It turns out they weren't the only ones. The story gets even better courtesy of insider Cameron Robinson of Elite Prospects. He explained on the Called Up podcast.
It turns out that trade by Chicago completely screwed over an old nemesis.
Grabbing Mason West out from under the Kings is doubly sweet.
Keep in mind that their new GM is Ken Holland. This is the same man who constructed the Detroit Red Wings dynasty of the late 1990s and 2000s, which tortured the Blackhawks for over a decade. The fact he took over a franchise that denied Chicago a fourth Stanley Cup in 2014 has never been forgotten by fans. If he is a big believer in Mason West, that should tell you the Blackhawks absolutely did the right thing by trading up to get him. Holland's eye for talent was never in question. This is the same guy who drafted Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Dylan Larkin, and Evan Bouchard. One can only imagine what his reaction was when he saw that the Blackhawks logo appeared on the board after the trade announcement.
