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Blackhawks Sign 1st-Round Draft Pick Marek Vanacker
Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Marek Vanacker is selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Blackhawks locked up one of their 2024 first-round draft picks Monday by signing forward Marek Vanacker to an entry-level contract. It's a three-year pact that carries a $975,000 salary cap hit and runs through the 2026-27 season.

The 18-year-old is coming off an impressive 82-point campaign for the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs. Vanacker added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games. Those figures marked a major jump from his first OHL season, in which he logged 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 55 games.

Vanacker was one of three first-round picks in a top-heavy 2024 Blackhawks' draft class. Chicago selected defenseman Artyom Levshunov second overall and forward Sacha Boisvert at pick No. 18 before nabbing Vanacker at No. 27. The Blackhawks previously signed Levshunov to his entry-level deal before locking up Vanacker.

Vanacker is expected to return to the OHL for the 2024-25 season, which will cause his entry-level deal to slide.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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